Microstructural and mechanical behavior of tungsten-based alloys reinforced with AlCoCrFeNi and CoCrFeNiTa

Tungsten-based alloys reinforced with AlCoCrFeNi and CoCrFeNiTa high-entropy alloys were fabricated via mechanical alloying. The influence of alloying elements, reinforcement phases, oxidation formation, and processing on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of the model alloys was studied. The results indicate that the Al and Ta elements in the reinforcement phases are prone to dissolution, forming complex oxide phases and hindering the formation of the reinforcement phases, leading to a deterioration of the mechanical properties. However, in the case of the WMT-Al sample, the addition of Ti in the tungsten matrix plays an essential role in promoting the formation of AlCoCrFeNi reinforcement phases, which provide a fine-grained twinned structure and disperses throughout the microstructure, enhancing the strength and ductility of materials.