Peculiarities of the phase composition and structure of the high-entropy FeWMoCrVSiMnC multicomponent steel

We report on the results of analysis of the phase composition, structure, and hardness of high-entropy FeWMoCrVSiMnC multicomponent steel subjected to synthesis and subsequent thermal treatment. Analysis is carried out using the methods of analytic transmission and scanning structural and orientational electron microscopy, optical metallography, X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray phase and structural analyses, and Rockwell measurements of hardness. It is found that steel has a high hardness (62 HRC) and is in ultra-fine-disperse composite martensite-multicarbide state. All carbides are distributed uniformly over the steel volume and have nano- and submicrometer scales depending on the carbide type.