Thermodynamic analysis of the simple microstructure of AlCrFeNiCu high-entropy alloy with multi-principal elements

AlCrFeNiCu high-entropy alloy （THA） was synthesized by the arc melting and casting method. The alloy exhibits simple FCC and BCC solid solution phases rather than intermetallic compounds. The reason is that the Gibbs free energy of mixing of the equimolar A1CrFeNiCu alloy is smaller than that of inter-metallic compounds by calculation according to the Miedema model .

Effects of alloy elements on microstructure and crack resistance of Fe-C-Cr weld surfacing layer

Effects of alloy elements on the microstructure and crack resistance of Fe-C-Cr weld surfacing layer were investigated. The results show that microstructures of the layer mainly consist of carbides and austenite matrix. Increasing C and Cr contents impair the crack resistance of the layer due to increased amount of brittle carbides. The addition of Ni, Nb or Mo improves the crack resistance of Fe-C-Cr weld surfacing layer by increasing the amount of austenite and forming fine NbC or M 7C 3 carbides in the layer. But, the excessive Nb (>2.50wt%) or Mo (>1.88wt%) impairs the crack resistance of the layer, which has relation with increased carbides or carbide coarsening and austenite matrix solid solution strengthening. The proper combination of C, Cr, Ni, Nb and Mo can further improve not only the crack resistance of Fe-C-Cr weld surfacing layer but also the erosion resistance as a result of fine NbC and M 7C 3 carbides distributing uniformly in austenite matrix. The optimal layer compositions are 3.05wt%C, 20.58wt%Cr, 1.75wt%Ni, 2.00wt%Nb and 1.88wt%Mo.

Processing TiAl-Based Alloy by Elemental Powder Metallurgy

TiAI-based alloys with various compositions (including Ti-48Al, Ti-47Al-2Cr-2Nb, Ti-47Al-2Cr-2Nb-0.2B and Ti-47Al-3Cr, in mole fraction) had been prepared by elemental powder metallurgy (EPM). The results have shown that the density of the prepared Ti-48AI alloy increases with increasing hot pressing temperature up to 1300℃. The Ti-48AI alloy microstructure mainly consisted of island-like Ti3Al phase and TiAl matrix at hot pressing temperature below 1300℃, however, coarse α2/γ lamellar colonies and γ grains appeared at 1400℃. It has also indicated that the additions of elemental Cr and B can refine the alloy microstructure. The main microstructural inhomogeneity in EPM TiAI-based alloys was the island-like α2 phase or the aggregate of α2/γ lamellar colony, and such island-like structure will be inherited during subsequent heat treatment in (α＋γ) field. Only after heat treatment in a field would this structure be eliminated. The mechanical properties of EPM TiAl-based alloys with various compositions were tested, and the effect of alloy elements on the mechanical properties was closely related to that of alloy elements on the alloy microstructures. Based on the above results, TiAI-based alloy exhaust valves were fabricated by elemental powder metallurgy and diffusion joining. The automobile engine test had demonstrated that the performance of the manufactured valves was very promising for engine service.

Calibrating the linearity between grayscale and element content for X-ray KES imaging of alloys

Doped elements in alloys significantly impact their performance.Conventional methods usually sputter the surface material of the sample,or their performance is limited to the surface of alloys owing to their poor penetration ability.The X-ray K-edge subtraction(KES)method exhibits great potential for the nondestructive in situ detection of element contents in alloys.However,the signal of doped elements usually deteriorates because of the strong absorption of the principal component and scattering of crystal grains.This in turn prevents the extensive application of X-ray KES imaging to alloys.In this study,methods were developed to calibrate the linearity between the grayscale of the KES image and element content.The methods were aimed at the sensitive analysis of elements in alloys.Furthermore,experiments with phantoms and alloys demonstrated that,after elaborate calibration,X-ray KES imaging is capable of nondestructive and sensitive analysis of doped elements in alloys.

Wear-resistant CoCrNi multi-principal element alloy at cryogenic temperature

Traditional high strength engineering alloys suffer from serious surface brittleness and inferior wear performance when servicing under sliding contact at cryogenic temperature.Here,we report that the recently emerging CoCrNi multi-principal element alloy defies this trend and presents dramatically enhanced wear resistance when temperature decreases from 273 to 153 K,surpassing those of cryogenic austenitic steels.The temperature-dependent structure characteristics and deformation mechanisms influencing the cryogenic wear resistance of CoCrNi are clarified through microscopic observation and atomistic simulation.It is found that sliding-induced subsurface structures show distinct scenarios at different deformation temperatures.At cryogenic condition,significant grain refinement and a deep plastic zone give rise to an extended microstructural gradient below the surface,which can accommodate massive sliding deformation,in direct contrast to the strain localization and delamination at 273 K.Meanwhile,the temperature-dependent cryogenic deformation mechanisms(stacking fault networks and phase transformation)also provide additional strengthening and toughening of the subsurface material.These features make the CoCrNi alloy particularly wear resistant at cryogenic conditions and an excellent candidate for safety–critical applications.

Atomistic study of inverse size effect induced by interfacial plasticity in pearlitic multi-principal element alloy

Owing to the fine nano-laminated structure,the pearlitic multi-principal element alloy(PMPEA) exhibits excellent mechanical and tribological properties.However,the incomplete understanding of the size effect of its lamella thickness and the unclear understanding of the plasticity-interface interaction mechanism limit further optimization of PMPEAs.In this study,the FeCoNi/Ni_3Ti interface-mediated plastic deformation behavior in PMPEA and the variation of mechanical and tribological properties with lamella thickness within the nanoscale range using molecular dynamics(MD) simulation were explored.The results indicate that the mechanical and tribological properties of the PMPEA with lamella thicknesses below 10 nm have a significant inverse size effect,i.e.,the smaller the lamella thickness,the weaker the properties.This is because the plastic carrier-interface interaction mechanism changes from a strengthening mechanism that hinders dislocations to a weakening mechanism that promotes dislocations with the decreases in the lamella thickness,and the weakening effect becomes more pronounced as the lamella thickness decreases and the number of interfaces increases.In particular,the deformation behavior of Ni_3Ti lamellae changes from crystal-like to amorphous-like with decreasing lamella.Moreover,in the sample with larger lamella thickness,the occurrence of hierarchical slips in the body-centered cubic(BCC) phase due to the multiprincipal elements effect can better alleviate the stress concentration caused by the dislocation accumulation at the interface,so that the phase interface exhibits outstanding load-bearing effects.And the dislocation pattern in BCC phase shows a firm high-density cell,which makes the substrate exhibit a stable tribological response.

Texture of deformed Cu-Cr-Zr alloys

The influences of plastic deformation, aging treatment, and alloying elements on the texture of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys were ex- plored. The texture component and intensity of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys under various working conditions after aging treatment were characterized using the orientation distributing function （ODF）. The influence of Zr content on the texture of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys was also analyzed. The reduction pass and deformation level were primary factors influencing the texture. Rolling texture appeared in a rolled plate and the fibrous textures of {111} and {001} were detected after 80% deformation. Fibrous texture with a main constituent of {111} improved the tensile strength of the alloy wire. The texture contents of {110}〈331〉 and {110}〈112〉 were predominated, whereas, those of {113}〈332〉 and {112}〈111〉 were in the minority in the Cu-Cr-Zr alloy with a higher Zr content （〉0.5wt%）. However, in the samples with a lower Zr content （〈0.1wt%）, the texture contents of {113}〈332〉, {112}〈111〉, and {111}〈110〉 were in the majority.

Design and characterization of a novel Cu_(2.3)Al_(1.3)Ni_(1.7)SnCr_(0.3) multi-principal element alloy coating on magnesium alloy by laser cladding

The evaporation and dilution of substrate seriously limit the performance of laser cladding coatings on magnesium alloys.In order to overcome the above shortcomings,a multi-step ultrasonic assisted laser remelting technology was proposed to improve the performance of the coating.In this work,a novel Cu_(2.3)Al_(1.3)Ni_(1.7)SnCr_(0.3) multi-principal element alloy coating(MPEAC)was prepared on the surface of mag-nesium alloy.Characterization techniques such as transmission electron microscopy(TEM),electron back scatter diffraction(EBSD)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)were employed to characterize the microstructure and phase composition of the coatings.And the phase structure and morphology at the interface between the coating and the substrate were also studied via focus ion beam(FIB)and TEM method.In addition,the corrosion and wear resistance ability of the coatings were monitored by potentiodynamic polarization(PDP),and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS),hardness and friction tests.The results show that Cu_(2.3)Al_(1.3)Ni_(1.7)SnCr_(0.3) MPEAC with ultrasonic assisted is composed of FCC phase and eutectic phases(Cu_(10)Sn_(3) and Cu_(2)Ni_(3)Sn_(3)).Due to the forced convection generated by ultrasonic waves,some Cu and Ni phases are precipitated around Cu_(2)Ni_(3)Sn_(3) phases,which is beneficial to enhance the corrosion resistance.Because of the grain refinement effect caused by ultrasonic,the wear resistance of the coating is also improved.Furthermore,ultrasonic vibration can effectively weaken and eliminate the texture density of the Cu_(2.3)Al_(1.3)Ni_(1.7)SnCr_(0.3) MPEAC fabricated by laser cladding.

Highly Improved Electrochemical Performances of the Nanocrystalline and Amorphous Mg_2Ni-type Alloys by Substituting Ni with M (M=Cu,Co,Mn)

The element Ni in the Mg2Ni alloy is partially substituted by M（M = Cu, Co, Mn） in order to ameliorate the electrochemical hydrogen storage performances of Mg2Ni-type electrode alloys. The nanocrystalline and amorphous Mg20Ni10-xMx（M = None, Cu, Co, Mn; x = 0-4） alloys were prepared by melt spinning. The effects of the M（M = Cu, Co, Mn） content on the structures and electrochemical hydrogen storage characteristics of the as-cast and spun alloys were comparatively studied. The analyses by XRD, SEM and HRTEM reveal that all the as-cast alloys have a major phase of Mg2Ni but the M（M = Co, Mn） substitution brings on the formation of some secondary phases, MgCo2 and Mg for the（M = Co） alloy, and Mn Ni and Mg for the（M = Mn） alloy. Besides, the as-spun（M = None, Cu） alloys display an entirely nanocrystalline structure, whereas the as-spun（M = Co, Mn） alloys hold a nanocrystalline/amorphous structure, suggesting that the substitution of M（M = Co, Mn） for Ni facilitates the glass formation in the Mg2Ni-type alloys. The electrochemical measurements indicate that the variation of M（M = Cu, Co, Mn） content engenders an obvious effect on the electrochemical performances of the as-cast and spun alloys. To be specific, the cyclic stabilities of the alloys augment monotonously with increasing M（M = Cu, Co, Mn） content, and the capacity retaining rate（S20） is in an order of（M = Cu） 〉（M = Co） 〉（M = Mn） 〉（M = None） for x≤1 but changes to（M = Co） 〉（M = Mn） 〉（M = Cu） 〉（M = None） for x≥2. The discharge capacities of the as-cast and spun alloys always grow with the rising of M（M = Co, Mn） content but first mount up and then go down with increasing M（M = Cu） content. Whatever the M content is, the discharge capacities are in sequence：（M = Co） 〉（M = Mn） 〉（M = Cu） 〉（M = None）. The high rate discharge abilities（HRDs） of all the alloys grow clearly with rising M（M = Cu, Co） content except for（M = Mn） alloy, whose HRD has a maximum value with varying M（M = Mn） content. Furthermore, for the as-cast alloys, the HRD is in order of（M = Co） 〉（M = Mn） 〉（M = Cu） 〉（M = None）, while for the as-spun（20 m·s^-1） alloys, it changes from（M = Co） 〉（M = Mn） 〉（M = Cu） 〉（M = None） for x = 1 to（M = Cu） 〉（M = Co） 〉（M = None） 〉（M = Mn） for x = 4.

Nanoscale fluctuation of stacking fault energy strengthens multi-principal element alloys

Chemical randomness and the associated energy fluctuation are essential features of multi-principal ele-ment alloys(MPEAs).Due to these features,nanoscale stacking fault energy(SFE)fluctuation is a natural and independent contribution to strengthening MPEAs.However,existing models for conventional alloys(i.e.,alloys with one principal element)cannot be applied to MPEAs.The extreme values of SFEs required by such models are unknown for MPEAs,which need to calculate the nanoscale volume relevant to the SFE fluctuation.In the present work,we developed an analytic model to evaluate the strengthening ef-fect through the SFE fluctuation,profuse in MPEAs.The model has no adjustable parameters,and all parameters can be determined from experiments and ab initio calculations.This model explains available experimental observations and provides insightful guidance for designing new MPEAs based on the SFE fluctuation.It generally applies to MPEAs in random states and with chemical short-range order.

Short‑Term Splitting and Long‑Term Stability of Cuboidal Nanoparticles in Ni_(44)Co_(22)Cr_(22)Al_(6)Nb_(6) Multi‑Principal Element Alloy

Multi-principal element alloys(MPEAs)composed of thermally stable high-density cuboidal nanoparticles have revealed great potential for high-temperature applications.In this work,we systematically studied the growth behavior and coarsening kinetics of the cuboidal nanoparticles in Ni_(44)Co_(22)Cr_(22)Al_(6)Nb_(6) MPEA.In the initial stage of isothermal aging,the nanoparticles exhibit growth and split behavior,resulting in the improvement of mechanical performance,then the cuboidal nanoparticles retain superior thermal and mechanical stability during long-term isothermal aging.The 288 kJ/mol activation energy of Ni_(44)Co_(22)Cr_(22)Al_(6)Nb_(6) MPEA,which is higher than that in Ni-based superalloys,reveals the obvious elemental sluggish diffusion in Ni_(44)Co_(22)Cr_(22)Al_(6)Nb_(6) MPEA.Meanwhile,coarsening rate constant determined by the volume diffusion mechanism in Ni_(44)Co_(22)Cr_(22)Al_(6)Nb_(6) MPEA is 1–2 orders of magnitude less than that of the traditional Ni-based superalloys.The shortterm regulation and long-term stability of the cuboidal nanoparticles endow the Ni_(44)Co_(22)Cr_(22)Al_(6)Nb_(6) MPEA with superior mechanical performance and thermal stability for high temperature applications.

Influence of alloy element partitioning on strength of primary α phase in Ti-6Al-4V alloy

The partitioning effect of Al（α-phase stabilizer） and V elements（β-phase stabilizer） on strength of the primary α phases in the α/β Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy with the bimodal microstructure was investigated.It was found that partitioning of Al and V elements took place in the Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy during the recrystallization process,leading to the variation of the content of Al and V elements in the primary α phases with changing the volume fraction of the primary α phase.Nanoindentation tests reveal a general trend that the strength of the primary α phases increases with decreasing the volume fraction of the primary α phases,and such trend is independent on the loading direction relative to the c-axis of the α phase.The enhanced strength is attributed to the increase of the content of Al element in the primary α phase,but it is not dominated evidently by the change of the V content.The solid solution strengthening contributed from both the elastic strain introduced by the solute atoms and the variation of the density of states was estimated theoretically.

Microstructure and dry sliding wear behavior of laser clad AlCrNiSiTi multi-principal element alloy coatings

The approximately equimolar ratio A1CrNiSiTi multi-principal element alloy （MPEA） coatings were fab- ricated by laser cladding on Ti-6Al-4V （Ti64） alloy. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, equipped with an energy-dispersive spectroscopy （EDS）, and X-ray diffrac- tion （XRD） were used to characterize the microstructure and composition. Investigations show that the coatings consist of （Ti, Cr）5Si3 and NiA1 phases, formed by in situ reaction. The phase composition is initially explicated according to obtainable binary and ternary phase diagrams, and the formation Gibbs energy of TisSi3, VsSi3 and CrsSi3. Dry sliding reciprocating friction and wear tests of the A1CrNiSiTi coating and Ti64 alloy substrate without coating were evaluated. A surface mapping profiler was used to evaluate the wear volume. The worn surface was characterized by SEM-EDS. The hardness and wear resistance of the A1CrNiSiTi coating are well compared with that of the basal material （Ti64）. The main wear mechanism of the AICrNiSiTi coating is slightly adhesive transfer from GCrl5 counterpart, and a mixed layer com- posed of transferred materials and oxide is formed.

cardiGAN:A generative adversarial network model for design and discovery of multi principal element alloys

Multi-principal element alloys(MPEAs),inclusive of high entropy alloys(HEAs),continue to attract significant research attention owing to their potentially desirable properties.Although MPEAs remain under extensive research,traditional(i.e.empirical)alloy production and testing are both costly and timeconsuming,partly due to the inefficiency of the early discovery process which involves experiments on a large number of alloy compositions.It is intuitive to apply machine learning in the discovery of this novel class of materials,of which only a small number of potential alloys have been probed to date.In this work,a proof-of-concept is proposed,combining generative adversarial networks(GANs)with discriminative neural networks(NNs),to accelerate the exploration of novel MPEAs.By applying the GAN model herein,it was possible to directly generate novel compositions for MPEAs,and to predict their phases.To verify the predictability of the model,alloys designed by the model are presented and a candidate produced-as validation.This suggests that the model herein offers an approach that can significantly enhance the capacity and efficiency of development of novel MPEAs.

A cluster-plus-glue-atom composition design approach designated for multi-principal element alloys

Multi-principal element alloys(MPEAs)have shown extraordinary properties in different fields.However,the composition design of MPEAs is still challenging due to the complicated interactions among principal elements(PEs),and even more challenging with precipitates formation.Precipitation can be either beneficial or detrimental in alloys,thus it is important to control precipitates formation on purpose during alloy design.In this work,cluster-plus-glue-atom model(CGM)composition design method which is usually used to describe short-range order in traditional alloys has been successfully extended to MPEAs for precipitation design.The key challenge of extending CGM to MPEAs is the determination of center atom since there are no solvent or solute in MPEAs.Research has found that the element type of center atom was related not only with chemical affinity,but also with atomic volume difference in MPEAs,which has inevitable effect on atomic arrangement.Based on experimental data of MPEAs with precipitates,it was found that elements with either stronger chemical affinity or larger volume difference with other PEs would occupy the center site of clusters.Therefore,a cluster index(P_(C)),which considers both chemical affinity and atomic volume factors,was proposed to assist the determination of center atom in MPEAs.Based on the approach,a solid-solution Zr-Ti-V-Nb-Al BCC alloy was obtained by inhibiting the precipitation,while precipitation-strengthened Al-Cr-FeNi-V FCC alloy and Al-Co-Cr-Fe-Ni BCC alloy were designed by promoting the precipitation.Corresponding experimental results demonstrated that the approach could provide a relatively simple and accurate predication of precipitation and the compositions of precipitations were in line with PEs in cluster in MPEAs.The research may open an effective way for composition design of MPEAs with desired phase structure.

Structure and electrochemical properties of LaMgNi4-xCox(x=0-0.8)hydrogen storage electrode alloys

LaMgNi（4-x）Cox（x = 0-0.8） electrode alloys used for MH/Ni batteries were prepared by induction melting. The structures and electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of the alloys were investigated in detail.X-ray diffraction（XRD） and scanning electron microscopy（SEM） analysis show that LaMgNi4 phase and LaNi5 phase are obtained. The lattice parameters of the two phases increase first and then decrease with Co content increasing.The electrochemical properties of the alloy electrodes were measured by means of simulated battery tests. Results show that the addition of Co does not change the discharge voltage plateau of the alloy electrodes. However, the maximum discharge capacity increases from 319.9 mAh·g^-1（x = 0）to 347.5 mAh·g^-1（x = 0.4） and then decreases to331.7 mAh·g^-1（x = 0.8）. The effects of Co content on electrochemical kinetics of the alloy electrodes were also performed. The high rate dischargeability（HRD） first increases and then decreases with Co content increasing and reaches the maximum value（95.0 %） when x = 0.4. Test results of the electrochemical impedance spectra（EIS）,potentiodynamic polarization curves and constant potential step measurements of the alloy electrodes all demonstrate that when Co content is 0.4 at%, the alloy exhibits the best comprehensive electrochemical properties.

Recent Advances on the Corrosion Resistance of Low-Density Steel:A Review

This paper reviews the previous literature on the alloy composition design of low-density steel(LDS),focusing on the eff ect of Al,Mn,Ni,and other alloy elements on the formation of the steel matrix and second phase,and provides classifi cation.The microstructure of LDS after processing includes the matrix structure,к-carbide,and B2(FeAl,NiAl,or MnAl)phase of ferritic LDS,austenitic LDS,and dual-phase LDS.The infl uence of alloy elements on the corrosion resistance of LDS is derived from the addition of Al and Mn for metallurgy.Additionally,the infl uence of Cr and Mo addition on the corrosion resistance improvement was studied.The electrochemical properties of the corrosion process in LDS are discussed.Further,the microstructure of LDS aff ects the corrosion resistance properties including pitting corrosion,hydrogen embrittlement,and SCC(stress corrosion cracking).Finally,future research directions are proposed.

Improving the Hydromechanical Deep-Drawing Process Using Aluminum Tailored Heat Treated Blanks

The present work demonstrates the effectiveness of combining the hydromechanical deep-drawing process with the Tailored Heat Treated Blank（THTB） technique. In the hydromechanical deep-drawing process, the fluid pressure is used for postponing the fracture occurrence in the blank, while the THTB technique allows to create a material property gradient through a suitable artificial aging treatment carried out prior to the forming process. Since the number of process variables is large, in the present work the authors propose an optimization loop for the determination of the parameters controlling the extension of the blank regions to be subjected to the aging treatment and the temperature levels to be set during the heat treatment. The proposed methodology couples a simple finite element model（Abaqus） with a multiobjective optimization platform（mode FRONTIER）. A preliminary experimental campaign was carried out for determining the effect of the aging treatment on the mechanical（through tensile tests） and deformative（through formability tests）behavior of the AC170 PX aluminum alloy. Optimization results prove the effectiveness of the adopted methodology and put in evidence that the adoption of properly aged blanks in the hydromechanical deep drawing allows to increase the limit drawing ratio and to simplify the process since it is conducted at room temperature.