Novel NiAl-strengthened high entropy alloys with balanced tensile strength and ductility

A single phase, face-centered-cubic (FCC) Al0.3CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy usually has low yield strength. Here, a precipitate-strengthened Al0.3CoCrFeNi has been developed, exhibiting enhanced yield strength while retaining good ductility, which is attributed to a novel microstructure comprising a finely distributed, needle-like B2 phase within the grains of the FCC matrix and a granular a phase along the grain boundaries. Such a microstructure was obtained by a two-step heat treatment of an as-cast Al0.3CoCrFeNi, whose parameters were determined by integrating CALPHAD-based thermodynamic calculations with microstructural characterization by atom probe tomography. In situ neutron diffraction, in conjunction with crystal-plasticity finite-element simulations, has revealed the strengthening effect owing to the load partitioning between the constituent phases. This work has important implications for understanding phase stability and deformation mechanisms in multi-principal component alloys, and paves the way for developing novel microstructures in complex alloys using correlative techniques.