Addressing the strength-ductility trade-off in a thermomechanical-processed high entropy alloy

High entropy alloys (HEAs) have garnered significant attention due to their exceptional mechanical behavior. However, the influence of secondary phases and dislocation substructures has yet to be thoroughly investigated. This study focuses on the incorporation of the decomposed eta-phase within a face-centered cubic (FCC) micro-structure at different recrystallization levels, aiming to achieve adequate ductility while maintaining strength at gigapascal levels. Various characterization techniques were employed to analyze the microstructure of both homogenized and annealed+aged conditions. Implementing a sub-micron grain size distribution and introducing a favorable dislocation substructure significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and ductility, reaching up to 1291 MPa, 1450 MPa, and 17.5%, respectively. The results highlight the influential role of grain size in facilitating the generation of geometrically necessary dislocations during plastic deformation.