TCMG: TCS Magnesium-based Alloys Database Revision History

Current Database Version

Database name (acronym):

TCS Mg-based Alloys Database (TCMG)

Database owner:

Thermo‑Calc Software AB

Database version:

8.0

First release:

TCMG1 was released in 2012

Changes in the Most Recent Database Release

Software release version 2025b (June 2025)

  • Six (6) newly assessed binary systems (total 229): (Ce, Nd, Pr, Sb, Sm, Y)-Sn
  • One (1) reassessed system: La-Sn
  • Nine (9) newly assessed ternary systems (total 133): (Ce, La, Nd, Pr, Sb, Y)-Mg-Sn, Ag-Pr-Sn, Cu-Mg-Sn, Mg-Sr-Zr,
  • Three (3) reassessed systems: Al-Fe-Mg, Mg-Mn-Ni, and Mg-Nd-Zn
  • 34 new phases (575 phases in total)

Previous Releases

Software release 2024a (December 2023/January 2024)

  • Modeled molar volume of the BCC phase in the Li-Mg, Al-Fe, and Fe-Si systems.

The surface tension was re-assessed based on the Redlich-Kister-Muggianu (R-K-M) sub-regular solution model.

A total of 223 assessed binary systems:

  • 15 new systems: Al-Dy, Al-Er, Al-Ho, Al-Sm, Bi-Sn, Dy-Nd, Dy-Zn, Dy-Zr, Er-Zn, Gd-La, Ho-Zn, La-Mn, Mn-Sr, Nd-Zr, and Sn-Sr.
  • 5 updated systems: Al-Sc, Cu-Sr, Mg-Sc, Mn-Zn, and Ni-Si.

A total of 124 assessed ternary systems:

  • 22 new systems: Ag-Al-Sc, Al-Dy-Mg, Al-Er-Mg, Al-Gd-Mn, Al-Ho-Mg, Al-La-Mn, Al-Mg-Sc, Al-Mg-Sm, Al-Mn-Y, Al-Y-Zn, Bi-Mg-Sn, Dy-Mg-Zn, Er-Mg-Zn, Gd-La-Mg, Ho-Mg-Zn, Mg-Mn-Sn, Mg-Mn-Sr, Mg-Nd-Zr, Mg-Ni-Y, Mg-Pr-Zn, Mg-Sn-Sr, and Mg-Zn-Zr.
  • 11 updated systems: Al-Gd-Mg, Al-Mg-Nd, Ce-Gd-Mg, Ce-La-Mg, Cu-Mg-Y, Gd-Mg-Nd, Gd-Mg-Zn, La-Mg-Zn, Mg-Ni-Zn, Mg-Si-Sn, Mg-Mn-Zn.

A variety of work is done to improve the LPSO phases.

  • A new model for the following phases are used, where RE is rare earth elements that are included in the current database:

    • For LPSO-14H phase: (Mg)70(RE)8(Al,Cu,Ni,Zn)6(Mg)1.
    • For LPSO-18R phase: (Mg)58(RE)8(Al,Cu,Ni,Zn)6(Mg)1.

  • Five (5) updated binaries related to the LPSO phases:

    • Cu-Sr: The DHCP phase that appeared on the Cu-rich side is destabilized.
    • Ni-Si: The Mg2Si_C1 phase at the Si-rich side had a wide homogeneity range, which was not experimentally confirmed. In the new version, this homogeneity range is negligible.
    • Mg-Sc: It is remodeled as a subsystem for modeling of Al-Mg-Sc. B2 had a large solubility range in the previous version. In this version, the B2 solubility range is smaller.
    • Mn-Zn: It is remodeled using new experimental data.
    • Al-Sc: B2 was a ground state in the previous version. In this version, XR is modeled as a stable phase.

  • Eleven (11) updated ternary systems related to the LPSO phases:

    • These systems are updated to include the LPSO phases: Al-Gd-Mg, Al-Mg-Nd, Cu-Mg-Y, and Gd-Mg-Zn.
    • These systems are remodeled based on the recent experimental data: Ce-(Gd,La)-Mg, (La,Mn)-Mg-Zn, Gd-Mg-Nd, Mg-Ni-Zn, and Mg-Si-Sn.

Software release version: 2022b (June 2022)

  • Remodeled Ag-Mg over the entire composition range, with a focus on the Mg-rich corner.
  • Refined Al-Mg-Y description via stabilizing the Al2Y phase.
  • The GAS phase now has a complete thermodynamic description within the framework of the database.

Software release version: 2022a (December 2021/January 2022)

  • Electrical resistivity (ELRS) and thermal conductivity (THCD) descriptions for hcp_A3 Mg-Ca/Mn/Sn/Zr are derived based on experimental data.
  • The Mg-Y hcp_A3 THCD description is refined.
  • Mg-Cu hcp_A3 ELRS and THCD are re-estimated. ELRS and thermal conductivity (THCD) of CuMg2 are tentatively estimated with experimental data from (Mg)+CuMg2 two-phase alloys.
  • Mg-Dy and Mg-La ELRS and THCD are re-estimated.
  • Molar volume and thermal expansion coefficient of DHCP and liquid Pr are updated

Software release version: 2021b (June 2021).

New Assessments:

  • The interaction parameters for liquid viscosity of 30 binary systems and 1 ternary system.
  • The interaction parameters for surface tension of the liquid of 12 binary systems.

Other Updates:

  • Viscosity parameters of Al-Mg and Al-Ga systems were re-assessed.
  • Surface tension parameters of the Al-Ga system were re-assessed.
  • Improved thermal conductivity for systems including but not limited to:
    • HCP_A3 Mg-Al, Mg-Ce, Mg-Gd, Mg-Nd, Mg-Sm, Mg-Y, Mg-Zn, and Mg-Gd-Y.
    • FCC_A1 Al-Mg, Cu-Zn, Fe-Ni, Fe-Si, Mn-Ni, Ni-Si, and Ni-Zr
    • BCC_A2 Al-Fe, Fe-Ni, Fe-Si, and Ni-Zr
    • liquid Fe-Ni and more

  • Improved electrical resistivity for systems including but not limited to:

    • HCP_A3 Mg-Sm, Mg-Nd, Mg-Gd, and Mg-Y
    • fcc_A1 Cu-Fe, Fe-Si, Mn-Ni, Ni-Si, and Ni-Zr
    • bcc_A2 Al-Fe, Cu-Fe, Fe-Mn, Fe-Ni, Fe-Si, and Ni-Zr

  • Electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity were reassessed for Mg12Ce, Mg41Sm5, Mg5Gd, Mg41Nd5, Al12Mg17, MgZn and AlFe.

  • Phase equilibria of Ce-La was extrapolated.

Software release version: 2021a (January 2021).

  • Electrical resistivity assessed or estimated for all the phases (except for GAS)
  • Thermal conductivity assessed or estimated for all the phases (except for GAS)
  • Viscosity assessed for liquid
  • Surface tension assessed for liquid
  • Molar volume and thermal expansivity assessed for all the phases
  • Bi and H

11 ternaries and 12 binaries were updated.

4 binaries and 3 ternaries are within the scope of Mg-Bi-based alloys:

  • Bi-Ca, Bi-Mg, Bi-Mn, Bi-Zn,
  • Bi-Ca-Mg, Bi-Mg-Mn, Bi-Mg-Zn

8 binaries and 5 ternaries are among the core systems of hydrogen storage Mg alloys:

  • Ce-H, Cu-H, La-Zn, H-La,
  • H-Mg, H-Nd, H-Ni, H-Zn,
  • Ce-H-Mg, Cu-H-Mg, H-La-Mg,
  • H-Mg-Nd, Mg-H-Ni

3 important ternary systems:

  • Al-Ce-Mn, Al-La-Mg, La-Mg-Zn

The metastable precipitates Mg7R, Mg3R (D03), Mg3R (D019) that form during aging of Mg-RE (rare earth) alloys have been modeled in the following systems:

  • Mg-Gd
  • Mg-Nd
  • Mg-Y
  • Cu-Gd: thermodynamic descriptions are improved for several compounds
  • Mg-Nd-Zn: remodeled based on the recent experimental data
  • Mg-Al-Ce: remodeling of the Mg-rich Mg12Ce phase and the ternary C15 and Al13CeMg6 phases

Software release version: 2019a (December 2018).

The Al-Mn, Al-Fe and Al-Fe-Mn systems were updated.

Software release version: 2018b (June 2018)

  • 7 new elements added: Dy, Er, Ga, Ho, In, Sb and Sm.
  • 9 Mg-containing binary systems are assessed: Mg-Dy, Mg-Er, Mg-Ga, Mg-Ho, Mg-In, Mg-K, Mg-Sb, Mg-Sm and Mg-Th. Ag-Mg is remodeled.
  • 25 non-Mg binary systems are assessed: Ag-In, Al-In, Ca-In, Ce-In, Cu-In, Fe-In, Gd-In, Gd-Sm, In-K, In-La, In-Li, In-Mn, In-Na, In-Nd, In-Ni, In-Pr, In-Sc, In-Si, In-Sn, In-Sr, In-Th, In-Y, In-Zn, In-Zr and Sm-Zn. Most of these are In-containing.
  • 11 ternary systems are modeled: Mg-Ag-In, Mg-Ag-Sn, Mg-Al-In, Mg-Cu-In, Mg-Gd-Sm, Mg-In-Li, Mg-In-Sn, Mg-In-Zn, Mg-Sn-Zn, Ag-In-Sn and In-Sn-Zn. Ag-Gd-Mg is remodeled.
  • These systems are also updated: Al-Mg-Zr, Mg-Si-Sn, Cu-Li and Cu-Li-Mg.

Software release version: 2015a (June 2015)

  • Seven Mg-containing ternary systems were assessed and added to the database: Ag-Cu-Mg, Ag-Gd-Mg, Ca-Gd-Mg, Ca-Mg-Nd, Ce-Mg-Sr, Cu-Li-Mg and Cu-Mg-Y. As a subsystem of Ce-Mg-Sr, the Ce-Sr binary system was assessed.
  • Gd-Mg-Zn was deeply refined and Mg-Y-Zn was updated as well.
  • The binary Ca-Y and Cu-Li systems and the Mg-containing ternary Al-Ca-Mg, Ca-Mg-Y, Ce-Mg-Zn and Mg-Nd-Sr systems were reassessed.
  • The ternary Ca-Sr-Zn system was extrapolated.
  • HCP_ZN was merged into HCP_A3. Necessary adjustments were made for the descriptions of Zn-containing systems in order to reproduce the phase equilibria.

Software release version: 4.0 (June 2014)

  • Sc was included in the database, resulting in a total number of 24 elements. Sc-containing systems, Ag-Sc, Al-Sc, Mg-Sc, Mn-Sc, Cu-Sc, Fe-Sc, Sc-Si, Sc-Zr, and Mg-Mn-Sc, were added. Of them, Fe-Sc, Mg-Sc, and Mn-Sc were reassessed.
  • The Mn-Nd, Sr-Y, La-Nd, Ce-La-Mg, Ce-Mg-Nd, and La-Mg-Nd systems were assessed and added.
  • The La-Mg, Ce-Mg, Mg-Nd and Mg-Y-Zn systems were deeply revised and the La-Nd, Ca-Mn, Mg-Nd-Sr, and Gd-Mg-Sr systems were updated.
  • Some known issues were solved.

TCMG2 was released in 2012.

Three binary systems are refined, Ag-Mg, Ce-Mg, and Al-Li. For Ag-Mg, the description of L12 was updated. For Ce-Mg, the Mg-rich description was refined to better account for the Mg-rich binary eutectic reaction, as well as the ternary eutectic reaction in the Ce-Mg-Mn system. In the Al-Li system, the AlLi2 phase was implemented.

Ten ternary systems are assessed or extrapolated, Ca-Ce-Mg, Cu-Mg-Mn, Fe-Mg-Ni, Fe-Mg-Zn, Mg-Mn-Ni, Mg-Mn-Si, Mg-Mn-Zn, Mg-Ni-Zn, and Mg-Si-Zn, together with a non-Mg containing ternary system Ag-Al-Cu.

TCMG1 released in January 2012 and TCMG1.1 in August 2012.

The Gd-Mg-Zn ternary system are reassessed and validated against the experimental information on the phase formation in as-cast and heat treated Gd-Mg-Zn-(Zr) alloys. Consequently, the H and Z phases had been removed from the database, and the W phase was treated as the solution based on GdMg3. The following systems have been assessed, Ca-Nd, Ca-Mn, Ce-Gd, Nd-Sr, Ca-Mg-Zr, Gd-Mg-Zr, Ce-Gd-Mg and Gd-Mg-Sr.