Hardness anisotropy and active slip systems in a (Hf-Ta-Zr-Nb)C high-entropy carbide during nanoindentation

Hardness anisotropy and deformation-induced dislocations in (Hf-Ta-Zr-Nb)C high-entropy carbide grains of low-index facets were investigated using nanoindentation and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The (HfTa-Zr-Nb)C sample was prepared by a two-step spark plasma sintering (SPS) and nanoindentation was performed on grains mapped previously by electron backscatter diffraction. To investigate the deformation zones under the indents, thin lamellas were extracted from grains of {001}, {101} and {111} orientations using a focused ion beam (FIB) technique and were studied by TEM. Nanoindentation revealed that grains of {100} orientation exhibit about 7% lower hardness (-35 GPa) compared to the {110} and {111} facets (-38 GPa) while there was no anisotropy found for the indentation modulus. TEM analysis of the lamellas revealed heavily deformed zones under the indents with dislocations of a/2 110 type Burgers vector. TEM-based trace analysis of dislocations { } { } revealed the activation of the (110) 111 and (110) 110 slip systems in grains indented on the {001} and {101} facets, respectively. The hardness anisotropy of (Hf-Ta-Zr-Nb)C was attributed to the different operating slip systems, similar to that was reported for the component monocarbides in the literature.