The effects of W content on solid-solution strengthening and the critical Hall-Petch grain size in Ni-W alloy

Nanocrystalline and amorphous nickel-tungsten alloy with relatively high tungsten contents of up to 34 at.% were produced by electrodeposition. The Hall-Petch relationship and breakdown was studied in this alloy, with grain sizes ranging from 25 nm to fully amorphous. In this higher tungsten content alloy, evidence of solid-solution strengthening was found, which was previously absent in alloys with < 13 at.% tungsten. A Hall-Petch trend with a critical grain size of 5 nm was observed, in line with expectations.