Understanding the microstructure and mechanical properties of TaxAl0.7CoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high entropy composites: Multi-scale deformation mechanism analysis

The analyses of phase composition, microstructure and the mechanical properties were conducted for as-cast TaxAl0.7CoCrFeNi2.1 (x = 0.3, 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7) eutectic high entropy composites (EHECs). With the x value increases from 0.3 to 0.6, the phases of dendrite changed from L1(2) to B2 and volume fraction of ultrafine-eutectic matrix consisting of Face-centered cubic and Laves phases increased. When x = 0.7, the Laves phase appears as the primary dendrite and the matrix region changed into the bimodal eutectic structure (L1(2) + Laves and B2 + Laves). Thermo-physical parameters could be used for understanding phase formation in EHECs. Experimental and theoretical comparison using thermo-physical parameters shows a reasonable consistency. Depending on the microstructural variation, the yield strength increased from 1304 MPa (x = 0.3) to 2154 MPa (x = 0.6) and plasticity decreased from 17% (x = 0.5) to 4% (x = 0.6). In order to understand the nano-to-micronscale deformation mechanisms depending on the microstructural variations, the systematic investigations of post-deformed samples (x = 0.5 and 0.6) were carried out by multi-scale SEM, TEM, and AFM analyses.

Automated summary

The study on EHECs revealed changes in phase composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties as the x value increased, leading to variations in the eutectic matrix composition and an increase in yield strength while decreasing plasticity.