Effect of Nb content on the properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy

A series of Al0.1CoCrFeNi-xNb (x = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 wt%) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were prepared using high-energy ball milling and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) methods. The influence of Nb element doping on the microstructure and properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi HEAs was systematically studied through...

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Main Authors: Mingchun Zhao, Lin Huang, Ke Zhang, Ke Xiong, Dashan Guo, Wei Feng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425018046
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author Mingchun Zhao
Lin Huang
Ke Zhang
Ke Xiong
Dashan Guo
Wei Feng
author_facet Mingchun Zhao
Lin Huang
Ke Zhang
Ke Xiong
Dashan Guo
Wei Feng
author_sort Mingchun Zhao
collection DOAJ
description A series of Al0.1CoCrFeNi-xNb (x = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 wt%) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were prepared using high-energy ball milling and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) methods. The influence of Nb element doping on the microstructure and properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi HEAs was systematically studied through tensile testing, hardness testing, friction and wear testing, and microstructure observation. The results showed that with the increase of Nb content, the phase structure of Al0.1CoCrFeNi-xNb high-entropy alloys (subsequently represented by Al0.1-xNb HEAs changed, transforming the alloy structure from a single FCC to a dual-phase structure of FCC and HCP (Laves phase) mixture. Its tensile strength increased with the increase of Nb content, while its plasticity showed a decreasing trend. As the Nb content increases, the hardness of the alloy significantly increases, from 174.2HV in 0Nb alloy to 384.7HV in 9Nb alloy. Through the analysis of the tensile fracture morphology, it is found that the fracture mainly occurs at brittle intermetallic compounds. For Al0.1-xNb HEAs, when x > 3, the alloy exhibits a quasi-cleavage fracture mechanism, while when x ≤ 3, the alloy exhibits a plastic fracture mechanism. With the increase of Nb content, the average friction coefficient of the alloy shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. The wear rate of the alloy gradually decreases from 4.04 × 10−4 mm3/(N · m) of 0Nb to 2.03 × 10−4 mm3/(N · m) of 9Nb, indicating that the wear resistance of the alloy increases. Analysis shows that the wear mechanism of Al0.1-xNb HEAs is abrasive wear, adhesive wear, and slight oxidative wear.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2238-7854
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Journal of Materials Research and Technology
spelling doaj-art-3331b8d5865e4efa8a7361897c72f9242025-08-20T03:35:40ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542025-07-01375578559210.1016/j.jmrt.2025.07.146Effect of Nb content on the properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloyMingchun Zhao0Lin Huang1Ke Zhang2Ke Xiong3Dashan Guo4Wei Feng5School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China; Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Powder Metallurgy, Chengdu, 610106, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China; Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Powder Metallurgy, Chengdu, 610106, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China; Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Powder Metallurgy, Chengdu, 610106, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China; Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Powder Metallurgy, Chengdu, 610106, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China; Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Powder Metallurgy, Chengdu, 610106, ChinaA series of Al0.1CoCrFeNi-xNb (x = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 wt%) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were prepared using high-energy ball milling and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) methods. The influence of Nb element doping on the microstructure and properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi HEAs was systematically studied through tensile testing, hardness testing, friction and wear testing, and microstructure observation. The results showed that with the increase of Nb content, the phase structure of Al0.1CoCrFeNi-xNb high-entropy alloys (subsequently represented by Al0.1-xNb HEAs changed, transforming the alloy structure from a single FCC to a dual-phase structure of FCC and HCP (Laves phase) mixture. Its tensile strength increased with the increase of Nb content, while its plasticity showed a decreasing trend. As the Nb content increases, the hardness of the alloy significantly increases, from 174.2HV in 0Nb alloy to 384.7HV in 9Nb alloy. Through the analysis of the tensile fracture morphology, it is found that the fracture mainly occurs at brittle intermetallic compounds. For Al0.1-xNb HEAs, when x > 3, the alloy exhibits a quasi-cleavage fracture mechanism, while when x ≤ 3, the alloy exhibits a plastic fracture mechanism. With the increase of Nb content, the average friction coefficient of the alloy shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. The wear rate of the alloy gradually decreases from 4.04 × 10−4 mm3/(N · m) of 0Nb to 2.03 × 10−4 mm3/(N · m) of 9Nb, indicating that the wear resistance of the alloy increases. Analysis shows that the wear mechanism of Al0.1-xNb HEAs is abrasive wear, adhesive wear, and slight oxidative wear.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425018046AlCoCrFeNi HEASPSHigh-energy ball millingMechanical propertiesFriction and wear
spellingShingle Mingchun Zhao
Lin Huang
Ke Zhang
Ke Xiong
Dashan Guo
Wei Feng
Effect of Nb content on the properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
AlCoCrFeNi HEA
SPS
High-energy ball milling
Mechanical properties
Friction and wear
title Effect of Nb content on the properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy
title_full Effect of Nb content on the properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy
title_fullStr Effect of Nb content on the properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Nb content on the properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy
title_short Effect of Nb content on the properties of Al0.1CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy
title_sort effect of nb content on the properties of al0 1cocrfeni high entropy alloy
topic AlCoCrFeNi HEA
SPS
High-energy ball milling
Mechanical properties
Friction and wear
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425018046
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