J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2024, Vol. 197: 247-264.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2024.02.077

Special Issue: Additive Manufacturing 2024 High & Medium entropy materials 2024

• Research Article • Previous Articles    

An additively manufactured precipitation hardening medium entropy alloy with excellent strength-ductility synergy over a wide temperature range

Jing Huanga,b, Wanpeng Lib,c,*, Tao Yangb, Tzu-Hsiu Choub, Rui Zhoub, Bin Liua, Jacob C. Huangb,d,*, Yong Liua,*   

  1. aState Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China;
    bDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China;
    cTRACE EM Unit, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China;
    dDepartment of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan, China
  • Received:2023-10-06 Revised:2024-01-12 Accepted:2024-02-28 Published:2024-10-20 Online:2024-10-15
  • Contact: *E-mail addresses: wanpengli2-c@my.cityu.edu.hk (W. Li), jacobc@faculty.nsysu.edu.tw (J.C. Huang), yonliu@csu.edu.cn (Y. Liu)

Abstract: Modern engineering has long been in demand for high-performance additive manufactured materials for harsh working conditions. The idea of high entropy alloy (HEA), medium entropy alloy (MEA), and multi-principal-element alloy (MPEA) provides a new way for alloy design. In this work, we develop a Co42Cr20Ni30Ti4Al4 quinary MEA which exhibits a superiority of mechanical properties over a wide temperature ranging from 77 to 873 K via selective laser melting (SLM) and post-heat treatment. The present MEA achieves an excellent ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 1586 MPa with a total elongation (TE) of 22.7 % at 298 K, a UTS of 1944 MPa with a TE of 22.6 % at 77 K, and a UTS of 1147 MPa with a TE of 9.1 % at 873 K. The excellent mechanical properties stem from the microstructures composed of partially refined grains and heterogeneously precipitated L12 phase due to the concurrence of recrystallization and precipitation. The grain boundary hardening, precipitation hardening, and dislocation hardening contribute to the high YS at 298 and 77 K. Interactions of nano-spaced stacking faults (SFs) including SFs networks, Lomer-Cottrell locks (L-C locks), and anti-phase boundaries (APBs) induced by the shearing of L12 phase are responsible for the high strain hardening rate and plasticity at 77 K. Our work provides a new insight for the incorporation of precipitation hardening and additive manufacturing technology, paving the avenue for the development of high-performance structural materials.

Key words: Additive manufacturing, Selective laser melting, Medium entropy alloy, Multi-principal-element alloy, Precipitation hardening, Mechanical properties