High-Temperature Wear Behaviour of Spark Plasma Sintered AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5 High-Entropy Alloy.

In this study, the wear behaviour of a powder metallurgically produced AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5 high-entropy alloy (HEAs) is investigated at elevated temperatures. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) of inert gas atomised feedstock enables the production of dense bulk material. The microstructure evolution and phase formation are analysed. The high cooling rate in the atomisation process results in spherical powder with a microstructure comprising two finely distributed body-centred cubic phases. An additional phase with a complex crystal structure precipitates during SPS processing, while no coarsening of microstructural features occurs. The wear resistance under reciprocating wear conditions increases at elevated temperatures due to the formation of a protective oxide layer under atmospherical conditions. Additionally, the coefficient of friction (COF) slightly decreases with increasing temperature. SPS processing is suitable for the production of HEA bulk material. An increase in the wear resistance at elevated temperature enables high temperature applications of the HEA system AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5.

Structural Parameters and Behavior in Simulated Body Fluid of High Entropy Alloy Thin Films.

The structure, composition and corrosion properties of thin films synthesized using the Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique starting from a three high entropy alloy (HEA) AlCoCrFeNix produced by vacuum arc remelting (VAR) method were investigated. The depositions were performed at room temperature on Si and mirror-like polished Ti substrates either under residual vacuum (low 10-7 mbar, films denoted HEA2, HEA6, and HEA10, which were grown from targets with Ni concentration molar ratio, x, equal to 0.4, 1.2, and 2.0, respectively) or under N2 (10-4 mbar, films denoted HEN2, HEN6, and HEN10 for the same Ni concentration molar ratios). The deposited films' structures, investigated using Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction, showed the presence of face-centered cubic and body-centered cubic phases, while their surface morphology, investigated using scanning electron microscopy, exhibited a smooth surface with micrometer size droplets. The mass density and thickness were obtained from simulations of acquired X-ray reflectivity curves. The films' elemental composition, estimated using the energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy, was quite close to that of the targets used. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy investigation showed that films deposited under a N2 atmosphere contained several percentages of N atoms in metallic nitride compounds. The electrochemical behavior of films under simulated body fluid (SBF) conditions was investigated by Open Circuit Potential (OCP) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy measurements. The measured OCP values increased over time, implying that a passive layer was formed on the surface of the films. It was observed that all films started to passivate in SBF solution, with the HEN6 film exhibiting the highest increase. The highest repassivation potential was exhibited by the same film, implying that it had the highest stability range of all analyzed films. Impedance measurements indicated high corrosion resistance values for HEA2, HEA6, and HEN6 samples. Much lower resistances were found for HEN10 and HEN2. Overall, HEN6 films exhibited the best corrosion behavior among the investigated films. It was noticed that for 24 h of immersion in SBF solution, this film was also a physical barrier to the corrosion process, not only a chemical one.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies of High Entropy Alloys (HEA): Review and Prospects.

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have gained considerable attention in recent years as an innovative method to produce high entropy alloy (HEA) components. The unique and excellent mechanical and environmental properties of HEAs can be used in various demanding applications, such as the aerospace and automotive industries. This review paper aims to inspect the status and prospects of research and development related to the production of HEAs by AM technologies. Several AM processes can be used to fabricate HEA components, mainly powder bed fusion (PBF), direct energy deposition (DED), material extrusion (ME), and binder jetting (BJ). PBF technologies, such as selective laser melting (SLM) and electron beam melting (EBM), have been widely used to produce HEA components with good dimensional accuracy and surface finish. DED techniques, such as blown powder deposition (BPD) and wire arc AM (WAAM), that have high deposition rates can be used to produce large, custom-made parts with relatively reduced surface finish quality. BJ and ME techniques can be used to produce green bodies that require subsequent sintering to obtain adequate density. The use of AM to produce HEA components provides the ability to make complex shapes and create composite materials with reinforced particles. However, the microstructure and mechanical properties of AM-produced HEAs can be significantly affected by the processing parameters and post-processing heat treatment, but overall, AM technology appears to be a promising approach for producing advanced HEA components with unique properties. This paper reviews the various technologies and associated aspects of AM for HEAs. The concluding remarks highlight the critical effect of the printing parameters in relation to the complex synthesis mechanism of HEA elements that is required to obtain adequate properties. In addition, the importance of using feedstock material in the form of mix elemental powder or wires rather than pre-alloyed substance is also emphasized in order that HEA components can be produced by AM processes at an affordable cost.

Supporting data for strengthening and deformation behavior of as-cast CoCrCu1.5MnNi high entropy alloy with micro-/nanoscale precipitation.

The data presented here are related to the research article entitled "Strengthening and deformation behavior of as-cast CoCrCu1.5MnNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) with micro-/nanoscale precipitation [1]". Non-equimolar CoCrCu1.5MnNi was cast by the conventional induction melting under a high-purity Ar atmosphere. Scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for micro- and nanostructure characterization. Subsize tensile specimens with two different gage length to width ratio were tested at room and cryogenic temperatures to assess the accuracy of strength and ductility data in the as-cast CoCrCu1.5MnNi HEAs. The mixing enthalpy (ΔHmix) versus lattice elastic energy (ΔHel) criterion was used to predict the stable phases. The data on the effects of microstructural and nanostructural distribution of various phases on mechani-cal properties in the as-cast HEA could be used in designing high entropy alloys with excellent as-cast mechanical performance.

Data on the microstructure and deformation of Fe50Mn25Cr15Co10Nx (x=0∼1.6) supporting the modifications of partial-dislocation-induced defects (PDIDs) and strength/ductility enhancement in metastable high entropy alloys.

The data presented in this article are related to a research paper on the modification of deformed nanostructure and mechanical performance of metastable high entropy alloys (HEAs) [1]. Fe50Mn25Cr15Co10 alloys with and without nitrogen were synthesized in a vacuum induction furnace using pure metals of 99.99% purity and FeCrN2 as nitrogen source. The nitrogen content was determined by Leco O/N-836 determinator for nitrogen-doped alloys. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were carried at 200 kV equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Tensile testing was performed at room temperature. The strain rate jump tests were conducted by changing the strain rate between 10-3 and 10-2 s-1 to measure the strain rate sensitivity. The nanostructural evolutions by deformation including extended stacking faults (ESFs), ε-martensite and twins were examined using EBSD and TEM for the annealed samples and those strained to different strain levels. The role of partial dislocations on the formation of various PDIDs were analysed and the energies stored as deformed nanostructure (ESDN) after the PDID band formation were used to predict the evolution of various nanostructure with strain. The data and approach would provide a useful insight into the nanostructural evolution in metastable high entropy alloys.

High-Temperature Oxidation Behavior of AlTiNiCuCox High-Entropy Alloys.

In this study, the high-temperature oxidation behavior of a series of AlTiNiCuCox high-entropy alloys (HEAs) was explored. The AlTiNiCuCox (x = 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5) series HEAs were prepared using a vacuum induction melting furnace, in which three kinds of AlTiNiCuCox (x = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5) alloys with different Co contents were oxidized at 800 °C for 100 h, and their oxidation kinetic curves were determined. The microstructure, morphology, structure, and phase composition of the oxide film surface and cross-sectional layers of AlTiNiCuCox series HEAs were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The influence of Co content on the high-temperature oxidation resistance of the HEAs was discussed, and the oxidation mechanism was summarized. The results indicate that, at 800 °C, the AlTiNiCuCox (x = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5) series HEAs had dense oxide films and certain high-temperature oxidation resistance. With increasing Co content, the high-temperature oxidation resistance of the alloys also increased. With increasing time at high temperature, there was a significant increase in the contents of oxide species and Ti on the oxide film surface. In the process of high-temperature oxidation of AlTiNiCuCox series HEAs, the interfacial reaction, in which metal elements and oxygen in the alloy form ions through direct contact reaction, initially dominated, then the diffusion process gradually became the dominant oxidation factor as ions diffused and were transported in the oxide film.

Synthesis and Corrosion Resistance of FeMnNiAlC10 Multi-Principal Element Compound.

A multi-principal element FeMnNiAlC10 bulk alloy was produced by vacuum arc melting. The same alloy was sintered as a thin film on a silicon substrate by ion beam sputter deposition. The bulk alloy has a multiphase structure the elements predominantly segregating into iron manganese carbides and nickel aluminium phases. The thin film is amorphous without detectable phase segregations. The absence of segregation is attributed to the film composition and deposition onto substrate at temperature below 400 K. The corrosion resistance of the thin film alloy was evaluated in 3.5% NaCl. The FeMnNiAlC10 thin film alloy has better corrosion resistance than 304SS. The hardness of the thin film was approximately 7.2 ± 0.3 GPa and the reduced Young's modulus was approximately 103 ± 4.6 GPa. FeMnNiAlC10 thin film could be a good candidate for coating oil and gas extraction soft iron infrastructure.

Re-Melting Behaviour and Wear Resistance of Vanadium Carbide Precipitating Cr27.5Co14Fe22Mo22Ni11.65V2.85 High Entropy Alloy.

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are among of the most promising new metal material groups. The achievable properties can exceed those of common alloys in different ways. Due to the mixture of five or more alloying elements, the variety of high entropy alloys is fairly huge. The presented work will focus on some first insights on the weldability and the wear behavior of vanadium carbide precipitation Cr27.5Co14Fe22Mo22Ni11.65V2.85 HEA. The weldability should always be addressed in an early stage of any alloy design to avoid welding-related problems afterwards. The cast Cr27.5Co14Fe22Mo22Ni11.65V2.85 HEA has been remelted using a TIG welding process and the resulting microstructure has been examined. The changes in the microstructure due to the remelting process showed little influence of the welding process and no welding-related problems like hot cracks have been observed. It will be shown that vanadium carbides or vanadium-rich phases precipitate after casting and remelting in a two phased HEA matrix. The hardness of the as cast alloy is 324HV0.2 and after remelting the hardness rises to 339HV0.2. The wear behavior can be considered as comparable to a Stellite 6 cobalt base alloy as determined in an ASTM G75 test. Overall, the basic HEA design is promising due to the precipitation of vanadium carbides and should be further investigated.

Kinetically Limited Phase Formation of Pt-Ir Based Compositionally Complex Thin Films.

The phase formation of PtIrCuAuX (X = Ag, Pd) compositionally complex thin films is investigated to critically appraise the criteria employed to predict the formation of high entropy alloys. The formation of a single-phase high entropy alloy is predicted if the following requirements are fulfilled: 12 J∙K-1 mol-1 ≤ configurational entropy ≤ 17.5 J∙K-1 mol-1, -10 kJ∙mol-1 ≤ enthalpy of mixing ≤ 5 kJ∙mol-1 and atomic size difference ≤ 5%. Equiatomic PtIrCuAuX (X = Ag, Pd) fulfill all of these requirements. Based on X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data, near-equiatomic Pt22Ir23Cu18Au18Pd19 thin films form a single-phase solid solution while near-equiatomic Pt22Ir23Cu20Au17Ag18 thin films exhibit the formation of two phases. The latter observation is clearly in conflict with the design rules for high entropy alloys. However, the observed phase formation can be rationalized by considering bond strengths and differences in activation energy barriers for surface diffusion. Integrated crystal orbital Hamilton population values per bond imply a decrease in bond strength for all the interactions when Pd is substituted by Ag in PtIrCuAuX which lowers the surface diffusion activation energy barrier by 35% on average for each constituent. This enables the surface diffusion-mediated formation of two phases, one rich in Au and Ag and a second phase enriched in Pt and Cu. Hence, phase formation in these systems appears to be governed by the complex interplay between energetics and kinetic limitations rather than by configurational entropy.

Manufacturing and Analysis of High-Performance Refractory High-Entropy Alloy via Selective Laser Melting (SLM).

Refractory high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have excellent mechanical properties, which could make them the substitutes of some superalloys. However, the high melting point of refractory HEAs leads to processing problems when using traditional processing techniques. In this study, a single BCC solid solution of NbMoTaW alloy was formed by selective laser melting (SLM) with a linear energy density of up to 2.83 J/mm. The composition distribution was analyzed, and the element with a lower melting point and lower density showed a negative deviation (no more than 5%) of the molar ratio in the formed alloy. The HEA shows an excellent microstructure, microhardness, and corrosion resistance performance compared with traditional superalloys, making it a new substitute metal with great application prospects in aerospace and energy fields.

Microstructural Evolution of AlCoCrFeNiSi High-Entropy Alloy Powder during Mechanical Alloying and Its Coating Performance.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are promising structural materials due to their excellent comprehensive performances. The use of mechanically alloyed powders to deposit HEA coatings through atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) is an effective approach that can broaden the application areas of the HEAs. In this paper, a ductility-brittleness AlCoCrFeNiSi system was chosen as an object of study, and the detailed evolution of the surface morphology, particle size distribution, and microstructure of the powder during mechanical alloying was investigated. An AlCoCrFeNiSi HEA coating was deposited using powder milled for 10 h, which can be used as an ideal feedstock for APS. The surface morphology, microstructure, microhardness, and wear behavior of the coating at room temperature were investigated. The results showed that as the milling time increased, the particle size first increased, and then decreased. At the milling time of 10 h, simple body-centered cubic (BCC) and face-centered cubic (FCC) solid solution phases were formed. After spraying, the lamellar structure inside a single particle disappeared. An ordered BCC phase was detected, and the diffraction peaks of the Si element also disappeared, which indicates that phase transformation occurred during plasma spraying. A transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that nanometer crystalline grains with a grain size of about 30 nm existed in the APS coating. For the coating, an average microhardness of 612 ± 41 HV was obtained. Adhesive wear, tribo-oxidation wear, and slight abrasion wear took place during the wear test. The coating showed good wear resistance, with a volume wear rate of 0.38 ± 0.08 × 10-4 mm³·N-1·m-1, which makes it a promising coating for use in abrasive environments.