A Nitride-Reinforced NbMoTaWHfN Refractory High-Entropy Alloy with Potential Ultra-High-Temperature Engineering Applications

Refractory high-entropy alloys(RHEAs)have promising applications as the new generation of hightemperature alloys in hypersonic vehicles,aero-engines,gas turbines,and nuclear power plants.This study focuses on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the NbMoTaW(HfN)_(x)(x=0,0.3,0.7,and 1.0)RHEAs.The alloys consist of multiple phases of body-centered cubic(BCC),hafnium nitride(HfN),or multicomponent nitride(MN)phases.As the x contents increase,the grain size becomes smaller,and the strength gradually increases.The compressive yield strengths of the NbMoTaWHfN RHEA at ambient temperature,1000,1400,and 1800℃ were found to be 1682,1192,792,and 288 MPa,respectively.The high-temperature strength of this alloy is an inspiring result that exceeds the high temperature and strength of most known alloys,including high-entropy alloys,refractory metals,and superalloys.The HfN phase has a significant effect on strengthening due to its high structural stability and sluggish grain coarsening,even at ultra-high temperatures.Its superior properties endow the NbMoTaWHfN RHEA with potential for a wide range of engineering applications at ultra-high temperatures.This work offers a strategy for the design of high-temperature alloys and proposes an ultra-high-temperature alloy with potential for future engineering applications.

Effect of electromagnetic stirring on the microstructure and wear behavior of iron-based composite coatings

The effect of electromagnetic stirring on the microstructure and wear behavior of coatings has been investigated. A series of iron-based coatings were fabricated by the plasma-transferred arc cladding process by applying different magnetic field currents. The microstructure and wear resistance of the composite coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscope （SEM）, en- ergy dispersive X-ray analysis （EDAX）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and wet sand rubber wheel abrasion tester. The experimental results showed that the microstructure of the coatings was mainly the γ-Fe matrix and （Cr, Fe）7C3 carbide reinforced phase. The coatings were metallurgically bonded to the substrate. With increasing magnetic field current, the amount of the block-like （Cr, Fe）TC3 carbide reinforced phase increased at first, reached a local maximum, and then decreased sharply. When the magnetic field current reached 3 A, the block-like （Cr, Fe）TC3 carbides with high volume fraction were uniformly distributed in the matrix and the coating displayed a high microhardness and an excellent wear resistance under the wear test condition.

Microstructure and Wear Behavior of FeBSiNbCr Metallic Glass Coatings

In this paper, FeBSiNbCr metallic glass coatings were prepared onto AISI 1045 steel substrate by using wire arc spraying process. The phase and structure of the coating were characterized by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning election microscopy （SEM） equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis （EDX）. The microstructure of the coating consists of full amorphous phase. The coating has high hardness and low porosity. Full density and little oxides are detected in the coating. The mechanical properties, especially wear resistance, were investigated. The relationship between wear behavior and structure of the coatings were analyzed in detail. The main failure mechanism of the metallic glass coating is brittle breaking and fracture. The results indicate that FeBSiNbCr metallic glass coating has excellent resistance to abrasive wear.

Discovering the ultralow thermal conductive A_(2)B_(2)O_(7)-type high-entropy oxides through the hybrid knowle dge-assiste d data-driven machine learning

Lattice engineering and distortion have been considered one kind of effective strategies for discovering advanced materials.The instinct chemical flexibility of high-entropy oxides(HEOs)motivates/accelerates to tailor the target properties through phase transformations and lattice distortion.Here,a hybrid knowledge-assisted data-driven machine learning(ML)strategy is utilized to discover the A_(2)B_(2)O_(7)-type HEOs with low thermal conductivity(κ)through 17 rare-earth(RE=Sc,Y,La-Lu)solutes optimized A-site.A designing routine integrating the ML and high throughput first principles has been proposed to predict the key physical parameter(KPPs)correlated to the targetedκof advanced HEOs.Among the smart-designed 6188(5RE_(0.2))_(2)Zr_(2)O_(7)HEOs,the best candidates are addressed and validated by the princi-ples of severe lattice distortion and local phase transformation,which effectively reduceκby the strong multi-phonon scattering and weak interatomic interactions.Particularly,(Sc_(0.2)Y_(0.2)La_(0.2)Ce_(0.2)Pr_(0.2))_(2)Zr_(2)O_(7)with predictedκbelow 1.59 Wm^(−1)K^(−1)is selected to be verified,which matches well with the ex-perimentalκ=1.69 Wm^(−1)K^(−1)at 300 K and could be further decreased to 0.14 Wm^(−1)K^(−1)at 1473 K.Moreover,the coupling effects of lattice vibrations and charges on heat transfer are revealed by the cross-validations of various models,indicating that the weak bonds with low electronegativity and few bond-ing charge density and the lattice distortion(r∗)identified by cation radius ratio(r A/r B)should be the KPPs to decreaseκefficiently.This work supports an intelligent designing strategy with limited atomic and electronic KPPs to accelerate the development of advanced multi-component HEOs with proper-ties/performance at multi-scales.

High speed laser cladding as a new approach to prepare ultra-high temperature ceramic coatings

Ultra-high temperature ceramic(UHTC)coatings are used to protect the hot-end components of hypervelocity aerocrafts from thermal ablation.This study provides a new approach to fabricate UHTC coatings with high speed laser cladding(HSLC)technology,and places more emphasis on investigating the formation mechanism,phase compositions,and mechanical properties of HSLC-UHTC coatings.Results show that a well-bonded interface between the coating and the tantalum alloy substrate can be formed.The coating is mainly composed of(Zr,Ta)C ceramic solid solution phase with a content of higher than 90% by volume and Ta(W)metal solid solution phase.At a relatively high powder feeding rate,the ZrC ceramic phase appears in the coating while a dense ZrC UHTC top layer with a thickness of up to~50μm is successfully fabricated.As for the mechanical properties of the HSLC coatings,the fracture toughness of the coating decreases with the increase of powder feeding rate.The increase of carbide solid solution phase can significantly improve the high temperature microhardness(552.7±1.8 HV0.5@1000℃).The innovative design of HSLC ZrC-based coatings on refractory alloys accomplishes continuous transitions on microstructure and properties from the substrate to the UHTC top layer,which is a very promising candidate scheme for thermal protection coating.

Outstanding specific yield strength of a refractory high-entropy composite at an ultrahigh temperature of 2273 K

We reported on the mechanical properties and microstructural evolution of a W_(20)Ta_(30)Mo_(20)C_(30)(at.%)re-fractory high-entropy composite(RHEC).The RHEC exhibited outstanding yield strength at both 2273 and 1873 K.Microstructural investigations revealed that the as-cast RHEC had a triple-phase structure con-sisting of FCC dendrites,HCP matrix,HCP-BCC eutectic structure,and FCC-BCC eutectoid structure,and exhibited high-density defects owing to the complex phase transformations during solidification.After annealing at 2273 K,the precipitation of the BCC phase from the FCC dendrites and the decomposition of the HCP phase into the FCC-BCC eutectoid structure was observed to significantly refine the grain sizes of all triple phases.After compression at 2273 K,the ceramic phases and solid solution precipitated out from each other,which helps to avoid persistent softening after the yielding of RHEC.Further analyses sug-gested that the dominant deformation mechanisms of the BCC phase and HCP phase are dislocation glide and transformation-induced plasticity;whereas those of the FCC phase are twinning-and transformation-induced plasticity.The outstanding yield strength of this RHEC at ultrahigh temperatures may originate from the high-content ceramic phases and the structural metastability of the multi-principal composition.These findings provide a novel strategy to design RHECs by alloying high-content nonmetallic elements,which contributes to further breaking through their performance limits at ultrahigh temperatures.

Nitride-reinforced HfNbTaTiV high-entropy alloy with excellent room and elevated-temperature mechanical properties

Nitride-reinforced(HfNbTaTiV)_(90)N_(10) high-entropy alloy aiming at high-temperature applications is de-signed in this paper.Abundant FCC nitride phases are formed in situ in theBCC matrix by arc melt-ing technique,without complex deformation or heat treatment.The(HfNbTaTiV)_(90)N_(10) alloy exhibits a remarkable yield strength of 2716 MPa and ultimate compressive strength of 2833 MPa with a plas-tic strain of 10%at room temperature.Besides,the alloy remains a high yield strength of 279 MPa at 1400℃.The nitride phases play an essential role in maintaining the excellent strength-ductility com-bination at room temperature and enhancing the high-temperature softening resistance.Alternating BCC and FCC phases possess the semi-coherent interface,which not only strengthens the BCC matrix but also promotes the compatible deformation of the duplex microstructure.The lattice coherency structure of the semi-coherent interface is conducive to the slip transfer of partial dislocations through the interface,which facilitates the accommodation of plastic deformation.The cross-slip of the screw dislocations ef-fectively eliminates stress concentration and leads to good ductility of the dual-phase alloy.The results demonstrate that the nitride phases achieve coordinate deformation with the matrix without deteriorat-ing the ductility of the(HfNbTaTiV)_(90)N_(10) alloy.

Introduction of nanotwins into nanoprecipitations strengthened CoCrNiMo_(0.2) alloy to achieve strength and ductility trade-off:A comparative research

Normal strengthening methods through precipitations and deformation obviously enhance the strength of metallic materials while resulting in the sacrifice of ductility,and synergistic improvement of strength and ductility is currently an urgent requirement.Herein we developed a cryogenic deformation combined with an annealing method to fabricate CoCrNiMo_(0.2) medium entropy alloy,which achieved an ultrahigh strength of 1.8 GPa with synergistic improvement in strength and ductility.Microstructure,mechanical performance,and strengthening mechanisms of the developed alloys were investigated compared with that prepared by the regular room temperature deformation method.It was found that high-density nanotwins were produced in CoCrNiMo_(0.2) MEA via cryogenic deformation.Fine grains,hard precipitations,and high volume fraction of nanotwins greatly strengthened the alloy,obtaining a yield and ultimate tensile strength of 1400 MPa and 1800 MPa.Ductility improvement of the developed alloy was mainly attributed to the production of deformation nanotwins due to the lower stacking fault energy,which greatly increases the dislocation storage ability,and thus,the ductility of the alloy was enhanced.

基于贻贝启发的水下仿生胶黏剂

海洋中的贻贝依靠丝足(Byssus)与足盘(Plaque)可以在潮湿及水下环境中快速而牢固地黏附于各种固体表面。贻贝强健的足部具有沟渠状的生理结构,通过类似于"注塑生产"的生理过程,它们可以生成丝足与足盘。贻贝将液态的蛋白质挤压到沟渠里,只需几秒钟时间,这些蛋白质就能形成一条条发丝一样纤细的丝足。每条丝足的末端都有一个黏性足盘,足盘可以牢牢地黏附在岩石及固体表面。丝足及足盘由多种黏附蛋白(Mfps)组成,且几乎每种黏附蛋白都含有L-3,4-二羟基苯丙氨酸(DOPA)成分。在过去的数十年间,科研人员基本揭示了贻贝黏附蛋白的结构及其黏附机理。DOPA的儿茶酚基团,通过氧化交联、金属螯合、氢键、静电作用、疏水作用、π-π作用、阳离子-π作用等各种共价和非共价相互作用,实现强大的界面黏接。基于贻贝黏附蛋白的结构及其黏附机理,通过使用DOPA及其类似物修饰的聚合物体系,人们得到了多种具有优秀机械性能和功能化的新型仿生多巴类水下胶黏剂。本综述首先介绍了贻贝黏附蛋白的组成特点及其黏附机理;随后分别介绍了凝聚层类胶黏剂、水凝胶类胶黏剂、智能型水下胶黏剂的结构特点及黏附机理;最后讨论了目前仿生水下胶黏剂存在的问题及未来发展前景。

Mechanical Properties and Phase Stability of WTaMoNbTi Refractory High-Entropy Alloy at Elevated Temperatures

High-temperature structural metals remain in high demand for aerospace aircraft,gas turbine engines,and nuclear power plants.Refractory high-entropy alloys(RHEAs)with superior mechanical properties at elevated temperatures are promising candidates for high-temperature structural materials.In this work,a WTaMoNbTi RHEA with adequate room temperature plasticity and considerable strength at 1600℃was fabricated by vacuum arc-melting.The room temperature fracture strain of the as-cast WTaMoNbTi RHEA was 7.8%,which was about 5.2 times that of the NbMoTaW alloy.The alloy exhibited a strong resistance to high-temperature softening,with a high yield strength of 173 MPa and compressive strength of 218 MPa at 1600℃.The WTaMoNbTi RHEA possessed excellent phase stability in the range of room temperature to 2000℃.The dendritic grains grew into equiaxed grains after compression test at 1600℃due to the dynamic recrystallization process at high temperature.This work presents a promising high-temperature structural material that can be applied at 1600℃.

High Velocity Electric Arc Sprayed Fe-Al-Nb-B Composite Coating and Its Wear Behavior

A type of Fe-Al-Nb-B cored wire was designed and the coating was prepared using a robot-based electric wire arc spraying process. The Fe-Al binary cored wire and coating were also prepared as comparison. The phase composition and structure of the coatings were investigated using X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDS） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The coating tribological properties were evaluated with the micromotion wear tester under different conditions. The results show that, although typical lamellar structure was performed for both the arc sprayed Fe-Al-Nb-B coating and Fe-Al coating, the structure composition, mechanical and wear properties of the former are quite different from those of latter. The Fe-Al-Nb-B coating is a typical composite coating, which is distributed inhomogeneously with α-Fe crystalline, FeAl and Fe3Al intermetallics, amorphous and nanocrystallines as well as locally existed oxide phases. As a result, the mircrohardness and wear resistance of the Fe-Al-Nb-B composite coating increased significantly. Finally the mechanism of the coating wear resistant behavior was discussed based on the experimental results such as friction coefficient, two dimensional and three dimensional worn surface profiles.

Enhanced high-temperature strength of HfNbTaTiZrV refractory high-entropy alloy via Al_(2)O_(3)reinforcement

Novel composites of HfNbTaTiZrV refractory high-entropy alloy(RHEA)reinforced with 0–4 vol.%Al_(2)O_(3)particles have been synthesized by vacuum arc melting.The microstructure evolution,compressive mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures,as well as strengthening mechanism of the composites were analyzed.The HfNbTaTiZrV RHEA reinforced with 4 vol.%Al_(2)O_(3)displayed excellent phase stability at elevated temperatures.A superior compressive yield strength of 2700 MPa at room temperature,1392 MPa at 800°C,and 693 MPa at 1000°C was obtained for this composite.The improved yield strength resulted from multiple strengthening mechanisms caused by Al_(2)O_(3)addition,including solution strengthening,interstitial strengthening,grain boundary strengthening,and dispersion strengthening.Besides,the effects of interstitial strengthening increased with temperature and was the main strengthening mechanism at elevated temperatures.These findings not only promote the development of oxidereinforced RHEAs for challenging engineering applications but also provide guidelines for the design of light refractory materials with multiple strengthening mechanisms.

Microstructure and Electrochemical Properties of CoCrCuFeNiNb High-Entropy Alloys Coatings

The CoCrCuFeNiNb high-entropy alloys coatings were prepared by using plasma-transferred arc cladding process. The microstructure and electrochemical behaviors of the coating were investigated in detail. The experimental results indicated that the coating consists of a simple fcc solid solution phase and an order（Co Cr）Nb-type Laves phase. The polarization curves, obtained in 1 and 6 mol/L hydrochloric acid solutions, clearly indicated that the general corrosion resistance of the coating at ambient temperature was better than that of 304 stainless steel. The coating displayed a lower corrosion current and lower corrosion rate. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy demonstrated that the impedance of the coating was significantly higher than that of the 304 stainless steel.

Revealing the Local Microstates of Fe–Mn–Al Medium Entropy Alloy:A Comprehensive First-principles Study

Entropy-stabilized multi-component alloys have been considered to be prospective structural materials attributing to their impressive mechanical and functional properties.The local chemical complexions,microstates and configurational transformations are essential to reveal the structure–property relationship,thus,to promote the development of advanced multicomponent alloys.In the present work,effects of local lattice distortion(LLD)and microstates of various configurations on the equilibrium volume(V0),total energy,Fermi energy,magnetic moment(μMag)and electron work function(Φ)and bonding structures of the Fe–Mn–Al medium entropy alloy(MEA)have been investigated comprehensively by first-principles calculations.It is found that theΦandμMag of those MEA are proportional to the V 0,which is dominated by lattice distortion.In terms of bonding charge density,both the strengthened clusters or the so-called short-range order structures and the weakly bonded spots or weak spots are characterized.While the presence of weakly bonded Al atoms implies a large LLD/mismatch,the Fe–Mn bonding pairs result in the formation of strengthened clusters,which dominate the local microstates and the configurational transitions.The variations ofμMag are associated with the enhancement of the nearest neighbor magnetic Fe and Mn atoms,attributing to the LLD caused by Al atoms,the local changes in the electronic structures.This work provides an atomic and electronic insight into the microstate-dominated solid-solution strengthening mechanism of Fe–Mn–Al MEA.