Improving strength and plasticity via pre-assembled dislocation networks in additively manufactured refractory high entropy alloy

Refractory high entropy alloys (RHEAs), as a novel class of multi-principal element alloys, have attracted significant attention owing to their excellent properties. However, their low plasticity limits their potential applications, while the high melting points of the alloying elements face challenges to additive manufacturing (AM). Herein, RHEA, with extensively distributed cellular structure within their grains, was successfully fabricated using AM. Furthermore, we proposed a simple strategy to form a complete dislocation network within the cellular structure region in advance through cyclic deformation processing in the elastic stage (microplastic deformation). Dislocation networks are entangled with other dislocations, creating numerous pinned points adjacent cell walls, which impede dislocation motion. As a result, the cyclic deformation processing of RHEA achieves a yield strength of 1136 MPa while maintaining 50 % deformation strain without fracturing. The cyclic deformation processing method provides a route to strengthen additively manufactured alloys, offering a solution to overcome the trade-off between strength and plasticity.