Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Al-Ti-Zr-Nb-Ta-Mo-V Refractory High-Entropy Alloys with Coherent B2 Nanoprecipitation

In this work, the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of new body-centered cubic (BCC)-based Al-Ti-Zr-Nb-Ta-Mo-V refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) with coherent B2 precipitation are investigated. These designed alloy ingots were solid-solutionized at 1573 K for 2 h and then aged at 873 K for 24 h, in which each treatment was followed by water quenching. It was found that there exists phase separation of BCC matrix, Ti/Zr-rich BCC1 and Nb/Ta-rich BCC2 in these alloys. Moreover, ultra-fine spherical B2 nanoparticles with a size of 3 similar to 5 nm were dispersed in BCC2 matrix. These B2 nanoparticles could be coarsened up to 25 similar to 50 nm after aging and the particle morphology also changes to a cuboidal shape due to a moderate lattice misfit (epsilon = 0.7 similar to 2.0%). Also, Zr5Al3 phase could coexist with the B2 phase, where the difference between them is that the Ti element is enriched in B2 phase, rather than in Zr5Al3. Among them, the solutionized Al2Ti5Zr4Nb2.5Ta2.5 RHEAs exhibit good compressive mechanical property with a high yield strength of 1240 MPa and a large plasticity, which is mainly attributed to the coherent precipitation in the BCC matrix.

Automated summary

In this study, the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of new BCC-based high-entropy alloys with coherent B2 precipitation were investigated. Phase separation of BCC matrix and ultra-fine B2 nanoparticles were found in the alloys, which could coarsen and change in morphology after aging. The presence of Zr5Al3 phase coexisting with the B2 phase was also observed, with the Ti element enriched in the B2 phase contributing to the improved compressive mechanical properties.