Review on hard particle reinforced laser cladding high-entropy alloy coatings

Since their advent in 2004, high-entropy alloys have allured the field of materials science and engineering. Laser cladding technology, with its advantages of a small heat-affected zone and rapid heating and cooling, has become a popular technique for preparing high-entropy alloy coatings. Traditional high-entropy alloys have the problem of strength-plasticity mismatch, which limits the further application of laser cladding high-entropy alloys in industry. As a method to solve these challenges, hard particle reinforced alloy coating technology can effectively control the comprehensive properties of high-entropy alloy coatings. This paper first explores and analyzes the five strengthening mechanisms and four main influencing factors of hard particle reinforced laser cladding alloy coatings. Then, from the perspective of introducing particle types, the research status of ceramic particles, rare earth particles and other types of hard particle reinforced laser cladding high entropy alloy coatings is introduced. Finally, the characteristics of hard particle reinforced laser cladding high-entropy alloy coatings are summarized, and future recommendations for hard particle reinforced alloy coatings technology and its application in laser cladding high-entropy alloys are proposed, which will be helpful for researchers and producers in this field.