The 81st Annual IMA World Magnesium Conference was held on May 19-21, 2024 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Fukuoka, Japan. Organized by the International Magnesium Association (IMA), the conference covered all aspects of the magnesium supply chain, including various key topics such as magnesium supply and demand, raw magnesium products, automotive applications, casting processes, technological innovations, sustainable development, and deformed alloys and processes.

Academician Ding Wenjiang from Shanghai Jiao Tong University delivered a speech entitled "Lightweight Magnesium and Hydrogen - Cultivation of Innovation and Invention", discussing in depth the potential of lightweight magnesium alloys for application in the field of hydrogen energy and the innovation direction.

Meanwhile, the high-gloss stainless magnesium alloy material developed by the team of Shanghai Jiao Tong University won the Award of Excellence in the Wrought Product Category by the International Magnesium Association (IMA), marking a major breakthrough in the field of magnesium alloy technology in China.

Academician Ding Wenjiang emphasized in his speech that lightweight magnesium alloys, with their unique physical and chemical properties, show great potential for application in the fields of hydrogen energy storage and transportation, and lightweight manufacturing. He particularly mentioned the team's progress in magnesium alloy functionality research, especially the innovation in solid-state hydrogen storage technology, which provides a new solution to realize the efficient use of hydrogen energy.

During the conference, experts and scholars from all over the world had an in-depth discussion on the latest progress, technological innovations, and market trends in the magnesium industry. Among them, Alan Clark of CM Group gave a keynote speech on the global supply-demand and future outlook of primary magnesium, pointing out the important position of China in the global magnesium industry and predicting that the magnesium market will continue to grow in the future.

It is worth mentioning that the high-gloss stainless magnesium alloy material developed by the team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University made a big splash at the conference. With its excellent corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, and formability, the material has become a new favorite in fields such as lightweight consumer electronics and aerospace.

In addition, the conference also covered research on the application of magnesium alloys in various fields such as electric vehicles and medical devices. Experts at the conference generally agreed that with the increasing global emphasis on environmental protection and sustainable development, magnesium alloy, as a green and environmentally friendly lightweight material, will play a more important role in the future market.