Mechanical performance of the Al<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy system with multiprincipal elements

The Al _x CoCrCuFeNi alloys with multiprincipal elements (x=the aluminum content in molar ratio, from 0 to 3.0) were synthesized using a well-developed arc-melting and casting method, and their mechanical properties were investigated. These alloys exhibited promising mechanical properties, including excellent elevated-temperature strength and good wear resistance. With the addition of aluminum from x=0 to 3.0, the hardness of the alloys increased from HV 133 to 655, mainly attributed to the increased portion of strong bcc phase to ductile fcc phase, both of which were strengthened by the solid solution of aluminum atoms and the precipitation of nanophases. The alloys exhibited superior high-temperature strengths up to 800 °C, among which the Al_0.5CoCrCuFeNi alloy, especially, had enhanced plasticity and a large strain-hardening capacity. Moreover, the wear resistance of these alloys was similar to that of ferrous alloys at the same hardness level, while the alloys with lower hardness exhibited relatively higher resistance because of their large strain-hardening capacity.     

Wear resistance and high-temperature compression strength of Fcc CuCoNiCrAl<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Fe alloy with boron addition

This study discusses the wear resistance and high-temperature compression strength of CuCoNiCrAl_0.5Fe alloy with various amounts of boron addition. Experiments show that within the atomic ratio of boron addition from x=0 to x=1.0 in CuCoNiCrAl_0.5FeB _x (referred to as B-0 to B-1.0 alloys), the alloys are of fcc structure with boride precipitation. The volume fraction of borides increases with increasing boron addition. The corresponding hardness increases from HV 232 to HV 736. Wear resistance and high-temperature compression strength are significantly enhanced by the formation of boride. The alloys with boride are less tough. The superior wear resistance of B-1.0 alloy, which is even better than SUJ2 wear-resistant steel, indicates that the CuCoNiCrAl_0.5FeB _x alloys have potential applications as ambient- and high-temperature mold, tool, and structural materials.     

Effect of vanadium addition on the microstructure, hardness, and wear resistance of Al0.5CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy

The authors studied the effect of vanadium addition on the microstructure and properties of Al_0.5CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy. The microstructure of Al_0.5CoCrCuFeNiV _x (x=0 to 2.0 in molar ratio) alloys was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction. With little vanadium addition, the alloys are composed of a simple fcc solid-solution structure. As the vanadium content reaches 0.4, a BCC structure appears with spinodal decomposition and envelops the FCC dendrites. From x=0.4 to 1.0, the volume fraction of bcc structure phase increases with the vanadium content increase. When x=1.0, fcc dendrites become completely replaced by bcc dendrites. Needle-like σ-phase forms in bcc spinodal structure and increases from x=0.6 to 1.0 but disappears from x=1.2 to 2.0. The hardness and wear resistance of the alloys were measured and explained with the evolution of the microstructure. The hardness values of the alloys increase when the vanadium content increases from 0.4 to 1.0 and peak (640 HV) at a vanadium content of 1.0. The wear resistance increases by around 20 pct as the content of vanadium increases from x=0.6 to 1.2 and levels off beyond x=1.2. The optimal vanadium addition is between x=1.0 and 1.2. Compared with the previous investigation of Al_0.5CoCrCuFeNi alloy, the vanadium addition to the alloy promotes the alloy properties.     

Magnetic contribution to the interdiffusion coefficients in bcc (<Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>) and fcc (<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>) Fe-Ni alloys

The interdiffusion coefficients in bcc (α) and fcc (γ) Fe-Ni alloys below their Curie temperatures have been calculated based on the magnetic contribution to the free energy for interdiffusion. The free energy for interdiffusion due to magnetic ordering in bcc Fe-Ni alloys is positive. The calculated interdiffusion coefficients in bcc Fe-Ni alloys fit the experimental data quite well. In fcc Fe-Ni alloys, the magnetic contribution to interdiffusion depends on both temperature and composition and is abnormal for Ni compositions in the Invar region. The free energy of vacancy formation is positive and the free energy of vacancy migration is negative, due to the effect of magnetic ordering. The interdiffusion coefficient in the ferromagnetic phase is lower than that extrapolated from the paramagnetic phase for Ni compositions of 50 at. pct and greater and is higher than that extrapolated from the paramagnetic phase for Ni compositions of 40 at. pct and lower.     

Phase composition and some properties of titanium carbonitride-titanium nickelide alloys with Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanoparticles

The phase formation in and the microstructure of titanium carbonitride-titanium nickelide alloys with aluminum oxide Al₂O₃ nanopowder additions are studied by X-ray diffraction, electron-microscopic, and electron-probe microanalyses. The phase interaction is characterized by the redistribution of nonmetallic elements and aluminum between refractory and binding phases with the formation of a nonstoichiometric titanium-aluminum (Ti,Al)(C,N) carbonitride and a titanium-aluminum nickelide. The number of forming phases and their compositions are controlled by the kinetic parameters of the process.     

Influence of rare-earth metals on the high-temperature strength of Ni<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al-based alloys

The influence of the content of reaction- and surface-active alloying elements (rare-earth metals (REMs)) and the method of their introduction into cast high-temperature γ′-Ni₃Al-based intermetallic alloys, which are thermally stable natural eutectic composites, on their structure-phase state and the mechanical properties is studied. The life of low-alloy heterophase γ′ + γ cast high-temperature light Ni₃Al-based alloys is shown can be increased at temperatures exceeding 0.8T _m (T _m is the melting temperature of Ni3Al) due to additional stabilization of the single-crystal structure of these alloys with submicron and nanometer-sized particles of the phases formed by refractory and active REMs. It is also shown that stage-by-stage fractional introduction of all components into alloys during vacuum induction melting with allowance for their reaction activities (most refractory metals are introduced in the form of low-melting-point master alloys at the first stage of vacuum induction melting, and lanthanum is introduced with a master alloy in the optimal contents of 0.1–2 wt % into the charge of VKNA-1V and VKNA-25 alloys at the final stage) leads to the formation of a modified structure stabilized by nanoprecipitates of nickel and aluminum lanthanides and the phases formed by refractory metals. This method increases the life of VKNV-1V-type alloys (0.5 wt % Re) at 1000–1200°C by a factor of ∼1.7 and that of VKNA-25-type alloys (1.2 wt % Re and Co) by a factor of ∼3.     

On the partial atomic volume of aluminum in solid solutions based on the 3d transition metals and copper

The composition dependence of the average atomic volume, as well as of the enthalpy of formation, was investigated for the aluminum-containing systems with the 3d transition metals and copper. The partial atomic volume of aluminum and the partial molar enthalpy of aluminum were determined for the transition metal-based solid solutions. Independent of the type of solid-solution structure, the (negative) partial molar enthalpy of aluminum increases and the partial atomic volume of aluminum decreases with increasing filling of the 3d band. The charge transfer and the bonding in solid solutions exhibiting close-packed structures (coordination number (CN)=12) is substantially higher than in solid solutions, based on the bcc structure (CN=8). The s electron of copper, though, reduces the charge transfer and the bonding in the fcc solid-solution Cu(Al) significantly.     

[(Fe<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Co<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>)<Subscript>0.75</Subscript>B<Subscript>0.20</Subscript>Si<Subscript>0.05</Subscript>]<Subscript>96</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>4</Subscript> Metallic Glasses with Small Cu Additions

Recently, (Fe-Co)-B-Si-Nb bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) were produced. Such BMGs exhibit high glass-forming ability (GFA) as well as good mechanical and magnetic properties. These alloys combine the advantages of functional and structural materials. The soft magnetic properties can be enhanced by nanocrystallization. To force the nanocrystallization, small content of Cu was added to the starting composition. In this article, {[(Fe_0.5Co_0.5)_0.75Si_0.05B_0.20]_0.96Nb_0.04}_100–x Cu _x glassy alloys (x = 1, 2, and 3) were chosen for investigation. The GFA and the thermal stability of these alloys were evaluated. The effects of crystallization during heat-treatment processes on the phase evolution and the magnetic properties, including M _s , H _c , and T _c , in these alloys were investigated. The phase analyses were done with the help of the X-ray diffraction patterns recorded in situ by using the synchrotron radiation in transmission configuration.     

Grain-boundary character distribution in recrystallized L1<Subscript>2</Subscript> ordered intermetallic alloys

The grain-boundary character distribution (GBCD) of cold-rolled and, subsequently, recrystallized Co₃Ti and Ni₃(Si,Ti) ordered alloys with an L1₂ structure was studied by the electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) method, in association with texture. For comparison, the GBCD of recrystallized pure copper and aluminum was also determined. The recrystallization textures of the Co₃Ti alloys as well as the Ni₃(Si,Ti) alloy were significantly weak and different from those of the pure copper and aluminum with a strong cube texture. The GBCD of the Co₃Ti alloys was characterized by a high frequency of Σ3 boundaries. On the other hand, the GBCD of the Ni₃(Si,Ti) alloy was characterized by a lower frequency of Σ3 and higher frequency of random (e.g., Σ>29) boundaries than that of the Co₃Ti alloys. However, the GBCDs of the Co₃Ti and Ni₃(Si,Ti) alloys were similar to each other and also quite similar to those of the pure copper and aluminum, when Σ3 boundaries are excluded from the GBCD. Based on these results, the formation mechanism responsible for the recrystallization textures and the grain-boundary structure and energy of the Co₃Ti and Ni₃(Si,Ti) alloys were discussed, in comparison with those of pure copper and aluminum.     

Formation and Stability of Equiatomic and Nonequiatomic Nanocrystalline CuNiCoZnAlTi High-Entropy Alloys by Mechanical Alloying

Nanocrystalline equiatomic high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have been synthesized by mechanical alloying in the Cu-Ni-Co-Zn-Al-Ti system from the binary CuNi alloy to the hexanary CuNiCoZnAlTi alloy. An attempt also has been made to find the influence of nonequiatomic compositions on the HEA formation by varying the Cu content up to 50 at. pct (Cu _x NiCoZnAlTi; x = 0, 8.33, 33.33, 49.98 at. pct). The phase formation and stability of mechanically alloyed powder at an elevated temperature (1073 K [800 °C] for 1 hour) were studied. The nanocrystalline equiatomic Cu-Ni-Co-Zn-Al-Ti alloys have a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure up to quinary compositions and have a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure in a hexanary alloy. In nonequiatomic alloys, bcc is the dominating phase in the alloys containing 0 and 8.33 at. pct of Cu, and the fcc phase was observed in alloys with 33.33 and 49.98 at. pct of Cu. The Vicker’s bulk hardness and compressive strength of the equiatomic nanocrystalline hexanary CuNiCoZnAlTi HEA after hot isostatic pressing is 8.79 GPa, and the compressive strength is 2.76 GPa. The hardness of these HEAs is higher than most commercial hard facing alloys (e.g., Stellite, which is 4.94 GPa).     

Thermodynamic effect of alloying addition on <Emphasis Type="Italic">in-situ</Emphasis> reinforced TiB<Subscript>2</Subscript>/Al composites

From the viewpoint of thermodynamics, using the Wilson equation and an extended Miedema model, the effect of the alloying element on the stability of the precipitated phases during the fabrication of in-situ reinforced TiB₂/Al composites was evaluated. The result shows that additions of alloying elements, such as Mg, Cu, Zr, Ni, Fe, V, and La, can promote the formation of Al₃Ti and TiB₂ phases. Particularly, Zr has the most pronounced effect among these alloying elements. In addition, alloying elements can hinder the formation of AlB₂ to a small extent. The calculation results also show that it is easier for magnesium to react with the salts to form TiB₂ than aluminum during the fabrication of in-situ reinforced TiB₂/Al using the flux-assisted synthesis (FAS) technology.     

Effect of Ni on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CrMnFeCoNi High Entropy Alloy

The effect of Ni content on microstructure and mechanical properties of the CrMnFeCoNi high entropy alloy (HEA) has been studied. The Ni content varied from 0 to 20 at% in the composition (CrMnFeMn)_100?xNi_x, where x?=?0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 at%. The alloys were synthesized by vacuum arc melting and the microstructure as well as hardness of the as-cast alloys were studied. Alloys with low Ni content (x?≤?2.5%) consists of a two-phase microstructure of dendritic and inter-dendritic regions with fcc (matrix) and tetragonal (sigma) crystal structure, respectively. When the Ni content is 5 at%, two-phase structure with fcc (matrix) and bcc (secondary phase) is observed, with the addition of Mn-rich inclusions that are present in the entire matrix. Alloys with higher Ni content (x?≥?10, at%) exhibit a single phase of fcc structure. Hardness of the HEAs decreases from 320 to 120 Hv with increase in Ni content, and the high hardness of these alloys with low Ni content is due to the mixture of both fcc and hard tetragonal (sigma) phases.

     

Formation and stability of metastable structures and amorphous phases in PU-V,PU-TA,and PU-YB systems with positive heats of mixing

The triode sputtering technique with a “split-target” arrangement was used to obtain metastable crystalline and amorphous phases in the Pu-V, Pu-Ta, and Pu-Yb systems. The proposed phase diagrams for these systems all exhibit liquid immiscibility. The heats of mixing are estimated to be highly positive, and the atomic radii of the component atoms differ by at least 10 pct. Extended amorphous and body-centered cubic (bcc) solid-solution regions were observed in the Pu-V and Pu-Ta systems. The corresponding lattice parameters appear to follow in each case an assumed Vegard’s Law extension. In the Pu-Yb system, no amorphous phase was obtained, but an extended face-centered cubic (fcc) solid-solution region (24 to 78 at. pct Yb) was observed with a large positive deviation of the lattice parameter (∼9 pct at 40 at. pct Yb) from a linear Vegard’s Law between the pure fcc components. The observed ranges of amorphous and metastable solid-solution phases have been interpreted in terms of predicated heats of formation for these phases using Miedema’s thermodynamic approximations that include chemical, elastic, and structural contributions. The effect of the high deposition rates on the formation of amorphous and metastable phases has also been considered. Thermal annealing of Pu-Ta amorphous alloys brings about a rapid diffusion of Pu to the free surface of the amorphous phase without crystallization of the remaining Ta-rich amorphous phase. Microhardness measurements indicate that amorphous Pu-V and Pu-Ta alloys are softer than the crystalline bcc solid-solution alloys in the same composition range. Several similarities in the formation of mixed phase regions (amorphous and solid solutions), microhardness, and resistance to decomposition on heating were noted between the Pu-Ta and Pu-V systems and the Cu-W system studied previously.     

Crystallization of Co<Subscript>100-<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Pt<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>B<Subscript>10</Subscript>Si<Subscript>12</Subscript> amorphous metallic alloys

Alloys of Co_78-x Pt _x B₁₀Si₁₂ were produced using the melt-spin process in order to study the crystallization behavior and ensuing magnetic properties of the Co-Pt amorphous alloys as a function of the Pt content. We showed that when x>15, well below its stoichiometric composition, CoPt intermetallic compound crystallized in the amorphous alloy. Below this composition, the main crystallization product was Co with Pt dissolved in its lattice. The nucleation of CoPt greatly altered the crystallized microstructures and magnetic properties of the Co-Pt amorphous alloys during annealing. In spite of the nucleation of CoPt with its high magnetic anisotropy, the highest coercivity was obtained when x was 15, free of the CoPt grains. It was also concluded that the Pt addition, in general, triggered crystallization to occur at a progressively lower temperature.     

Reactive synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">in-situ</Emphasis> ZrAl<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Al composites

In this work, a reactive synthesis process is proposed to obtain ZrAl₃-Al₂O₃ particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites. The process involves the in-situ formation of Al₂O₃ and ZrAl₃ from Al-ZrO₂ green compacts. Upon compact heating, it is found that reduction of ZrO₂ by molten aluminum occurs at temperatures above 750 °C, leading to the development of ZrAl₃ and Al₂O₃ phases. Thermodynamically, it is found that the reduction of zirconium oxide is driven mainly by the dissolution of Zr in molten aluminum. Because the solubility of Zr in liquid aluminum is extremely small, the formation of ZrAl₃ is favored after relatively small Zr dissolutions. The first Zr-Al intermetallics to form at the lowest temperatures seem to be metastable, as infered from the measured atom ratios for Al : Zr of 2.83 : 1. At increasing temperatures, the reaction comes into completion, resulting in the formation of equilibrium intermetallic ZrAl₃ phases. The results obtained from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicate that by increasing the scanning rates, both the reaction temperature and the exothermic peak intensity also increase. Alternatively, it is found that by reducing the amount of ZrO₂ in the green compact, the in-situ reaction temperatures also shift toward higher values.     

Stabilizing the L1<Subscript>2</Subscript> structure of Pt<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al(r) in the Pt-Al-Sc system

The Pt-Al system has high potential to act as alloy base for so-called refractory superalloys. Although the envisaged strengthening phase Pt₃Al(r) has favorable L1₂ crystal structure only at high temperatures, even small amounts of Sc stabilized L1₂ crystal structure at low temperature. Pt-Al-Sc alloys were arc melted, heat treated, and examined by means of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Pt₃Al_1−x Sc _x (r) forms a continuous phase field from the Al-rich side to the Sc-rich side of the Pt-Al-Sc ternary system. The absolute value of the lattice misfit between cubic Pt₃Al_1−x Sc _x (r) and the matrix decreases with increasing Sc content.     

Precipitation of heusler phase (Ni<Subscript>2</Subscript>TiAl) from B2-TiNi in Ni-Ti-Al and Ni-Ti-Al-X (X=Hf,Zr) alloys

The precipitation of Heusler phase (L2₁: Ni₂TiAl) from a supersaturated B2 (TiNi-based) matrix at 600°C and 800°C is studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), analytical electron microscopy (AEM), and three-dimensional atom-probe (3DAP) microscopy in Ni-Ti-Al and Ni-Ti-Al-X (X=Hf and Zr) alloys. The B2/L2₁ two-phase system, with ordered structures based on the bcc lattice, is chosen for its microstructural analogy to the classical γ/γ′ system with an fcc lattice. Knowledge of the temperature-dependent partitioning of alloying elements and their atomic volumes in the B2-TiNi and L2₁ phases is desired to support design of high-performance shape-memory alloys (SMAs) with controlled misfit strain and transformation temperatures. After aging at 600°C for up to 2000 hours, the L2₁ precipitates remain fully coherent at a particle diameter of ∼20 nm. The observed effects of a misfit strain of −1.9 pct on the microstructure of the B2/L2₁ system are similar to those theoretically predicted and experimentally observed for the γ/γ′ system. The similarities are demonstrated in terms of the precipitate shape, spatial distribution, and minimum distance of separation between L2₁ precipitates. However, all these effects disappear after aging the alloys at 800°C for 1000 hours, when the L2₁ precipitates become semicoherent at particle diameters above ∼400 nm. A simple analysis of the size evolution of L2₁ precipitates after an isochronal aging (1000 hours) experiment suggests that they follow coarsening kinetics at 600°C and growth kinetics at 800°C, consistent with the Langer-Schwartz theory of precipitation kinetics, which predicts that a high supersaturation suppresses the growth regime. Microanalysis using AEM and 3DAP microscopy define the TiNi-Ni₂TiAl phase boundaries at 800°C and 600°C. At 800°C, Hf and Zr partition to the B2-TiNi, while at 600°C, they partition slightly to the L2₁ phase, reducing the lattice misfit to −1.7 and −0.011 pct, respectively, and partition strongly to the metastable phase Ti₂Ni₃. To describe the composition dependence of the lattice parameter of multicomponent B2 and L2₁ phases, the atomic volumes of Al, Hf, Ni, Ti, and Zr in the B2-TiNi and L2₁ phases are determined. A simple model is proposed to predict the lattice parameters of these phases in multicomponent systems.     

Mechanochemical preparation of Ni<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Al<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript>/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanocomposites

The mechanochemical preparation of nickel aluminide/corundum (Ni _x Al _y /Al₂O₃) powder nanocomposites is shown to be possible during the mechanochemical aluminum reduction of nickel oxide at various weight proportions of the components.     

Structural and Magnetic Transformations in the Fe‐Mn Binary System

The phase transformations of five binary iron‐manganese (Fe‐Mn) alloys with manganese contents ranging from 1 to 21 weight percent have been characterized in the temperature range between room temperature and 1250 °C. Differential scanning calorimetry and dilatometry were used to experimentally characterize both the phases and magnetic transformation temperatures. X‐ray diffraction and light optical microscopy were employed for the room temperature microstructure characterization. Depending on the manganese content of the alloy, three different crystal structures can be found: body centered cubic (bcc) (α/α'), face centered cubic (fcc) (γ), and hexagonal compact (hcp) (?). At manganese contents lower than 10% the phases present are the α/α’ (bcc) and γ (fcc). Above ~10 weight percent manganese increasing amounts of ? (hcp) is formed at the expense of the body centered cubic structures, and no α/α’ (bcc) is observed for the 21 weight‐percent manganese alloy.     

Effect of the primary phase on grain coarsening in undercooled Fe-Co alloys

Fe-Co alloy melts with Co contents of 10, 30, and 60 at. pct were undercooled to investigate the dependence of the primary phase on grain coarsening. A pronounced characteristic is that the metastable fcc phase in the Fe-10 at. pct Co alloy and the metastable bcc phase in the Fe-30 at. pct Co alloy will primarily nucleate when undercoolings of the melts are larger than the critical undercoolings for the formation of metastable phases in both alloys. No metastable bcc phase can be observed in the Fe-60 at. pct Co alloy, even when solidified at the maximum undercooling of ΔT = 312 K. Microstructural investigation shows that the grain size in Fe-10 and Fe-30 at. pct Co alloys increases with undercoolings when the undercoolings of the melts exceed the critical undercoolings. The grain size of the Fe-60 at. pct Co alloy solidified in the undercooling range of 30 to 312 K, in which no metastable phase can be produced, is much finer than those of the Fe-10 and Fe-30 at. pct Co alloys after the formation of metastable phases. The model for breakage of the primary metastable dendrite at the solid-liquid interface during recalescence and remelting of dendrite cores is suggested on the basis of microstructures observed in the Fe-10 and Fe-30 at. pct Co alloys. The grain coarsening after the formation of metastable phases is analyzed, indicating that the different crystal structures present after the crystallization of the primary phase may play a significant role in determining the final grain size in the undercooled Fe-Co melts.