Microstructures and mechanical properties of Nb-alloyed CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloys

Nb has a positive effect on improving the mechanical properties of metal materials, and it is expected to strengthen CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with outstanding ductility and relatively weak strength. In this paper, the alloying effects of Nb on the microstructural evolution and the mechanical properties of the (CoCrCuFeNi)_100-xNb_x HEA were investigated systematically. The result shows that Nb promotes the phase transition from FCC (face-centered cubic) to Laves phase, and the volume fractions of Laves phase increase from 0% to 58.2% as the Nb content increases. Compressive testing shows that the addition of Nb has a positive effect on improving the strength of CoCrCuFeNi HEA. The compressive yield strength of (CoCrCuFeNi)_100-xNb_x HEAs increases from 338 MPa to 1322 MPa and the fracture strain gradually reduces from 60.0% (no fracture) to 8.1% as the Nb content increases from 0 to 16 at.%. The volume fraction increase of hard Laves phase is the key factor for the strength increase, and the reduction of the VEC (valence electron concentration) value induced by the addition of Nb is beneficial for the increase of the Laves phase content in these alloys.