R.N.Lumley, T.B.Sercombe and G.B.Schaffer, "Surface oxide and the role of magnesium during the sintering of aluminium" Metallurgical and Materials Transactions, 30A (1999) 457-463

The effect of trace additions of magnesium on the sintering of aluminium and its alloys is examined. Magnesium, especially at low concentrations, has a disproportionate effect on sintering because it disrupts the passivating Al₂O₃ layer through the formation of a spinel phase. Magnesium penetrates the sintering compact by solid state diffusion and the oxide is reduced at the metal-oxide interface. This facilitates solid state sintering, as well as wetting of the underlying metal by sintering liquids, when these are present. The optimum magnesium concentration is approximately 0.1 - 1.0 wt%, but this is dependant on the volume of oxide and hence the particle size, as well as the sintering conditions. Small particle size fractions require proportionally more magnesium than large size fractions do.

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