Effect of Heat Treatment Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nbx High-Entropy Alloys
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. XRD Analysis
3.2. Microstructure
3.3. Microhardness
3.4. Compression Performance
4. Conclusions
- (1) In the as-cast state, the Nb0 alloy is composed of a single FCC solid solution phase. As the Nb content increases, the Laves phase gradually forms, which increases in content as the Nb content further increases. After heat treatment at 800 °C, all three alloys form BCC solid solution phases rich in Cr, Fe, and Mn. The BCC phases in the Nb0.2 and Nb0.4 alloys decompose after heat treatment at 900 and 1000 °C, respectively.
- (2) The microstructure of the Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nbx HEAs is basically dendritic matrix and interdendritic morphology. After heat treatment, the Laves phase is distributed in the interdendritic region in the form of rods or particles, whereas the Cr-, Fe-, and Mn-rich BCC phase and Cu-, Mn-, Ni-, and Fe-rich FCC phase are distributed in the matrix. As the heat treatment temperature increases, the Laves phase aggregates and grows, whereas the BCC phase coarsens or decomposes.
- (3) As the Nb content increases, the microhardness of the as-cast Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nbx HEAs increases from 127 to 203 HV. After heat treatment, the microhardness of the alloys substantially improves, with the Nb0.4 alloy having the highest microhardness after 800 °C heat treatment, approximately 346 HV. After heat treatment at 900 and 1000 °C, the microhardness of the three alloys decreases. The increase in Nb content in the as-cast hardness is mainly attributed to the precipitation strengthening of the Laves phase. After heat treatment, the hardness of the alloys first increases and then decreases mainly due to the formation and decomposition of the BCC phase and the coarsening of the Laves phase.
- (4) The yield strength of the as-cast Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nbx HEAs increases with Nb content and first increases and then decreases with increasing heat treatment temperature. When cast, the yield strength of the Nb0.4 alloy is the highest (approximately 383 MPa). After heat treatment at 800 °C, its yield strength increases to 1103 MPa. The mechanism underlying the improvement in the compressive yield strength of these alloys is the same as the hardness-enhancing mechanism owing to the second-phase strengthening of the Laves phase and the solid solution strengthening of the BCC phase.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Alloy | Cu | Cr | Fe | Ni | Mn | Nb |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2 (Nb0) | 0.3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nb0.2 (Nb0.2) | 0.3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0.2 |
Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nb0.4 (Nb0.4) | 0.3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0.4 |
Temperature | Spot | Cu | Cr | Fe | Ni | Mn |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
800 °C | Nominal | 3.2 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 32.3 | 21.5 |
1 | 2.7 | 36.0 | 11.2 | 20.2 | 29.9 | |
2 | 3.7 | 25.1 | 25.8 | 28.8 | 16.7 | |
900 °C | Nominal | 3.2 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 32.3 | 21.5 |
1 | 3.3 | 56.6 | 16.3 | 11.2 | 12.5 | |
2 | 5.8 | 19.6 | 22.2 | 31.4 | 21.1 | |
1000 °C | Nominal | 3.2 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 32.3 | 21.5 |
1 | 1.4 | 37.8 | 21.4 | 1.8 | 37.5 | |
2 | 6.6 | 24.1 | 26.8 | 35.3 | 7.3 |
Temperature | Spot | Cu | Cr | Fe | Ni | Mn | Nb |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
800 °C | Nominal | 3.2 | 21.1 | 21.1 | 31.6 | 21.1 | 2.1 |
1 | 1.9 | 17.2 | 23.7 | 20.9 | 12.2 | 24.1 | |
2 | 7.2 | 16.8 | 19.8 | 32.9 | 22.3 | 0.9 | |
900 °C | Nominal | 3.2 | 21.1 | 21.1 | 31.6 | 21.1 | 2.1 |
1 | 0.6 | 17.3 | 15.9 | 14.0 | 5.8 | 46.4 | |
2 | 6.6 | 22.0 | 22.6 | 33.6 | 14.3 | 0.9 | |
1000 °C | Nominal | 3.2 | 21.1 | 21.1 | 31.6 | 21.1 | 2.1 |
1 | 1.8 | 14.7 | 23.3 | 24.1 | 14.5 | 21.5 | |
2 | 4.7 | 23.4 | 25.7 | 27.8 | 17.7 | 0.7 |
Temperature | Spot | Cu | Cr | Fe | Ni | Mn | Nb |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
800 °C | Nominal | 3.1 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 30.9 | 20.6 | 4.1 |
1 | 1.9 | 14.9 | 24.0 | 23.8 | 13.2 | 22.3 | |
2 | 9.0 | 11.3 | 16.4 | 35.6 | 25.5 | 2.2 | |
900 °C | Nominal | 3.1 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 30.9 | 20.6 | 4.1 |
1 | 1.6 | 17.9 | 23.8 | 21.2 | 11.8 | 23.6 | |
2 | 6.6 | 18.0 | 20.7 | 32.5 | 21.2 | 0.9 | |
1000 °C | Nominal | 3.1 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 30.9 | 20.6 | 4.1 |
1 | 2.0 | 18.4 | 22.1 | 24.4 | 8.7 | 24.4 | |
2 | 6.7 | 20.3 | 20.7 | 33.9 | 17.1 | 1.3 |
Element | Cr | Fe | Cu | Ni | Mn | Nb |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cr | - | −1 | 12 | −7 | 2 | −7 |
Fe | - | 13 | −2 | 0 | −16 | |
Cu | - | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||
Ni | - | −8 | −30 | |||
Mn | - | −4 | ||||
Nb | - |
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Guo, F.; Wang, C.; Ren, B. Effect of Heat Treatment Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nbx High-Entropy Alloys. Coatings 2024, 14, 950. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14080950
Guo F, Wang C, Ren B. Effect of Heat Treatment Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nbx High-Entropy Alloys. Coatings. 2024; 14(8):950. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14080950
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuo, Fuqiang, Chunyan Wang, and Bo Ren. 2024. "Effect of Heat Treatment Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cu0.3Cr2Fe2Ni3Mn2Nbx High-Entropy Alloys" Coatings 14, no. 8: 950. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14080950