From soft to ultrahard over 1000 HV: Engineering the hardness of FeMnAl(Cu) medium entropy alloys by unlocking the potential of β-Mn precipitation
Source abstract
Abstract
Ultra-hard and wear-resistant metallic alloys are crucial for engineering applications to withstand prolonged wear and tear. However, fabricating multiple component alloys with varying hardness levels poses challenges in compositional design, processing optimization, and the application of hardening techniques across different alloy systems. Here, we demonstrate a facile approach for fabricating ultrahard FeMnAl(Cu) low-density medium entropy alloys (MEAs) with flexible hardness by inducing the precipitation of β-Mn via a routine aging process. This method enables a broad range of tunable hardness, from relatively soft (210 HV) to ultrahard (1042 HV), by controlling the precipitation of β-Mn in FeMnAl(Cu) low-density MEAs within a few hours of aging. The rapid aging-induced hardening response endowed these FeMnAl(Cu) MEAs with exceptional resistance to wear damage. These findings pave a new way for developing ultrahard and wear-resistant metallic alloys, which eliminates the complex and costly composition design and thermalmechanical processing routes typically required to harden conventional steels and alloys.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: High Entropy Alloys Studies · Advanced materials and composites · Intermetallics and Advanced Alloy Properties
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
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