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Effects of Mo-doping on the microstructure and mechanical properties of CoCrNi medium entropy alloy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 September 2020

Na Li ,
Ji Gu Open the ORCID record for Ji Gu [Opens in a new window] ,
Bin Gan ,
Qiao Qiao ,
Song Ni  and
Min Song
Na Li
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha410083,P.R. China
Ji Gu*
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha410083,P.R. China
Bin Gan
Affiliation:
Beijing Key Laboratory of Advances High Temperature Materials, Central Iron and Steel Research Institute, Beijing100081, P.R. China
Qiao Qiao
Affiliation:
Beijing Key Laboratory of Advances High Temperature Materials, Central Iron and Steel Research Institute, Beijing100081, P.R. China
Song Ni
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha410083,P.R. China
Min Song
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha410083,P.R. China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: guji9219@csu.edu.cn
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Abstract

The CoCrNiMox (x = 0, 0.1, and 0.2 in molar ratio) medium entropy alloys (MEAs) were fabricated by vacuum arc melting, followed by cold rolling and annealing treatments. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to characterize the microstructures. It has been shown that the CoCrNi MEA has a single FCC phase and the Mo-containing MEAs contain (Cr, Mo)-rich σ precipitates. In addition, the Mo addition caused significant grain refinement, due to the fact that the presence of σ phase exerts a strong pinning effect on the grain boundary migration. The hardness testing results indicate an increment in Vickers hardness from 187.5 ± 4.5 Hv of CoCrNi alloy to 309.5 ± 10.3 Hv of CoCrNiMo0.2 alloy. The yield strength and ultimate tensile strength also increase from 339 ± 2 to 644 ± 5 MPa and from 810 ± 5 to 1071 ± 17 MPa, respectively, but the elongation drops from 88.4 ± 4.0% to 29.5 ± 7.6%. The grain refinement and the precipitation of σ phase make synergistic contribution to the reinforcement of Mo-containing CoCrNi-based MEAs. The details and explanations in this study may guide the future design and research of the CoCrNi-based quaternary alloys with enhanced properties.

Keywords

medium entropy alloysmechanical propertiesmicrostructureprecipitation strengtheninggrain refinement
Type
Article
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 35 , Issue 20 , 28 October 2020 , pp. 2726 - 2736
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Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Materials Research Society

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