Notch-tensile behavior of Al0.1CrFeCoNi high entropy alloy

Notch-tensile behavior of an Al0.1CrFeCoNi high entropy alloy (Al-0.1-HEA) was studied using V-notch geometry and with local strain mapping using digital image correlation (DIC). A notch-strength ratio of 1.51 indicated notch strengthening. Further analysis of stress-strain response supplemented with microstructural analysis revealed that, while the presence of notch results in strengthening due to work hardening by twinning induced plasticity, the notch also contributes strongly to geometrical softening in the non-uniform ductility regime, and accounts for the onset of failure. The strain localization behavior of Al-0.1-HEA due to the presence of V-notch was compared with three conventional alloys: Inconel 625 nickel-based superalloy, 304 stainless steel and Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy. The study revealed that the nature of notch widening with increasing strain was dependent on material characteristics. The extent of notch widening impacted the local strain field and stress distribution, thereby influencing the propensity for crack initiation and growth. The experimental results were verified by finite element analysis.