Experimental investigation on magnesium reactivity and safety

Magnesium alloys are widely used in several industrial sectors due to their low density and favorable mechanical properties. However, when present in the form of chips or powders, magnesium can represent a potential safety concern because of its high reactivity and the possibility of ignition under certain thermal conditions. For this reason, understanding the ignition and combustion behavior of magnesium-based materials is important for improving risk assessment and safe handling practices in industrial environments. In this work, the thermal behavior and ignition characteristics of magnesium alloy chips and powders belonging to the ZAX210 system were experimentally investigated. Several experimental techniques were used, including furnace ignition tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and cone calorimetry, in order to analyze both ignition behavior and reaction evolution. The experiments were carried out under different atmospheres (air, CO₂ and N₂) to evaluate the influence of environmental conditions on the reactivity of the material. The results show that both particle size and atmosphere significantly influence the ignition behavior. In air, ignition occurs more easily due to the presence of oxygen, leading to more intense combustion. In CO₂ the reaction takes place at higher temperatures and without visible flame propagation, while in nitrogen reactions were still observed at elevated temperatures, suggesting possible formation of magnesium nitride. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the combustion behavior of magnesium chips and powders and provide useful information for improving safety considerations in industrial processes involving reactive magnesium materials. Future work could further investigate the reaction mechanisms and the influence of additional parameters such as alloy composition and particle morphology.