Enhancing Strength-Ductility Synergy of CoCrNi-Based Medium-Entropy Alloy Through Coherent L1_(2)Nanoprecipitates and Grain Boundary Precipitates

The L1_(2)-strengthened Co_(34)Cr_(32)Ni_(27)Al_(4)Ti_(3)medium-entropy alloy(MEA)with precipitations of grain boundaries has been developed through selective laser melting(SLM)followed by cold rolling and annealing,exhibiting excellent strength-ductility synergy.The as-printed alloy exhibits low yield strength(YS)of~384 MPa,ultimate tensile strength(UTS)of~453 MPa,and uniform elongation(UE)of 1.5%due to the existence of the SLM-induced defects.After cold rolling and annealing,the YS,UTS,and UE are significantly increased to~739 MPa,~1230 MPa,and~47%,respectively.This enhancement primarily originates from the refined grain structure induced by cold rolling and annealing.The presence of coherent sphericalγ'precipitates(L1_(2)phases)and Al/Ti-rich precipitates at the grain boundaries,coupled with increased lattice defects such as dislocations,stacking faults,and ultrafine deformation twins,further contribute to the property’s improvement.Our study highlights the potential of SLM in producing high-strength and ductile MEA with coherent L1_(2)nanoprecipitates,which can be further optimized through subsequent rolling and annealing processes.These findings offer valuable insights for the development of high-performance alloys for future engineering applications.

Accelerating matrix/boundary precipitations to explore high-strength and high-ductile Co_(34)Cr_(32)Ni_(27)Al_(3.5)Ti_(3.5) multicomponent alloys through hot extrusion and annealing

Annealing-regulated precipitation strengthening combined with cold-working is one of the most efficient strategies for resolving the conflict between strength and ductility in metals and alloys.However,precipitation control and grain refinement are mutually contradictory due to the excellent phase stability of multicomponent alloys.This work utilizes the high-temperature extrusion and annealing to optimize the microstructures and mechanical properties of the Co_(34)Cr_(32)Ni_(27)Al_(3.5)Ti_(3.5) multicomponent alloy.Hot extrusion effectively reduces grain sizes and simultaneously accelerates the precipitation of coherent L12 nanoparticles inside the face-centered cubic(FCC)matrix and grain boundary precipitations(i.e.,submicron Cr-rich particles and L12-Ni 3(Ti,Al)precipitates),resulting in strongly reciprocal interaction between dislocation slip and hierarchical-scale precipitates.Subsequent annealing regulates grain sizes,dislocations,twins,and precipitates,further allowing to tailor mechanical properties.The high yield strength is attributed to the coupled precipitation strengthening effects from nanoscale coherent L12 particles inside grains and submicron grain boundary precipitates under the support of pre-existing dislocations.The excellent ductility results from the synergistic activation of dislocations,stacking faults,and twins during plastic deformation.The present study provides a promising approach for regulat-ing microstructures,especially defects,and enhancing the mechanical properties of multicomponent alloys.