Strengthening and deformation mechanisms in CoCrFeMnNi-based medium- and high-entropy alloys at room and cryogenic temperatures
Source abstract
Abstract
In this study, novel non-equiatomic CoCrFeMnNi-based medium- and high-entropy alloys (M/HEAs) weredesigned to activate distinct deformation mechanisms, including twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) and/ortransformation-induced plasticity (TRIP). Tensile tests were performed at 298 and 173 K. A variety of ex-situmultiscale characterization techniques, strengthening modeling, thermodynamic modeling (CALPHAD method),and ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to investigate the structural andmicrostructural evolution, enabling accurate identification of the strengthening and active deformation mechanismsoperating in the M/HEAs. Strengthening modeling revealed that grain boundary strengthening was theprimary contributor to yield strength at both temperatures. A key finding of this study is that a controlledFCC→HCP martensitic transformation, associated with TRIP, enhances the strength-ductility balance even whenthe resulting HCP phase reaches ~50% volume fraction. This demonstrates that TRIP-enabled metastabilityengineering is a promising strategy for designing high-performance M/HEAs for next-generation structural applicationsin energy, aerospace, and defense.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: High Entropy Alloys Studies · Additive Manufacturing Materials and Processes · High-Temperature Coating Behaviors
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (86)
Show source-provided references
1. High-entropy alloys10.1038/s41578-019-0121-4 ↗
2. Ultrastrong ductile and stable high-entropy alloys at small scales10.1038/ncomms8748 ↗
3. Tuning element distribution, structure and properties by composition in high-entropy alloys10.1038/s41586-019-1617-1 ↗
4. A strong and ductile medium-entropy alloy resists hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion10.1038/s41467-020-16791-8 ↗
5. A critical review of high entropy alloys and related concepts10.1016/j.actamat.2016.08.081 ↗
6. A fracture-resistant high-entropy alloy for cryogenic applications10.1126/science.1254581 ↗
7. The influences of temperature and microstructure on the tensile properties of a CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy10.1016/j.actamat.2013.06.018 ↗
8. Exceptional damage-tolerance of a medium-entropy alloy CrCoNi at cryogenic temperatures10.1038/ncomms10602 ↗
9. Multifunctional high-entropy materials10.1038/s41578-024-00720-y ↗
10. Metastable high-entropy dual-phase alloys overcome the strength-ductility trade-off10.1038/nature17981 ↗
11. Toward the design of ultrahigh-entropy alloys via mining six million texts10.1038/s41467-022-35766-5 ↗
12. Twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steels10.1016/j.actamat.2017.06.046 ↗
13. High stress twinning in a compositionally complex steel of very high stacking fault energy10.1038/s41467-022-31315-2 ↗
14. Cryogenic strength improvement by utilizing room-temperature deformation twinning in a partially recrystallized VCrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy10.1038/ncomms15719 ↗
15. Real-time observations of TRIP-induced ultrahigh strain hardening in a dual-phase CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy10.1038/s41467-020-14641-1 ↗
16. Metastability-engineering strategy in CoCrFeMnNi-based medium- and high-entropy alloys: unraveling the interplay with recrystallization, grain growth, and mechanical properties10.1016/j.ijplas.2025.104285 ↗
17. Design of a twinning-induced plasticity high entropy alloy10.1016/j.actamat.2015.04.014 ↗
18. A novel, single phase, non-equiatomic FeMnNiCoCr high-entropy alloy with exceptional phase stability and tensile ductility10.1016/j.scriptamat.2013.09.030 ↗
19. High Throughput Discovery and Design of Strong Multicomponent Metallic Solid Solutions10.1038/s41598-018-26830-6 ↗
20. Influence of grain size on strain-induced phase transformation in a CrCoNi multi-principal element alloy10.1016/j.ijplas.2024.104164 ↗
21. Novel Co-rich high performance twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) and transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) high-entropy alloys10.1016/j.scriptamat.2019.02.018 ↗
22. Development of strong and ductile metastable face-centered cubic single-phase high-entropy alloys10.1016/j.actamat.2019.09.050 ↗
23. Metalloid substitution elevates simultaneously the strength and ductility of face-centered-cubic high-entropy alloys10.1016/j.actamat.2021.117571 ↗
24. Design and in-situ characterization of a strong and ductile co-rich multicomponent alloy with transformation induced plasticity10.1016/j.scriptamat.2019.07.045 ↗
25. Tuning mechanical metastability in FeMnCo medium entropy alloys and a peek into deformable hexagonal close-packed martensite
26. Temperature dependent deformation behavior and stacking fault energy of Fe40Mn40Co10Cr10 alloy10.1016/j.scriptamat.2021.113891 ↗
27. Twinning and strain-induced f.c.c. → h.c.p. transformation on the mechanical properties of Co Ni Cr Mo alloys10.1016/0025-5416(76)90234-2 ↗
28. Exceptional fracture toughness of CrCoNi-based medium- and high-entropy alloys at 20 kelvin10.1126/science.abp8070 ↗
29. Novel Co-rich high entropy alloys with superior tensile properties10.1080/21663831.2018.1553803 ↗
30. Computational thermodynamics-guided alloy design and phase stability in CoCrFeMnNi-based medium-and high-entropy alloys: an experimental-theoretical study10.1016/j.scriptamat.2024.116264 ↗
31. Science and technology in high-entropy alloys10.1007/s40843-017-9195-8 ↗
32. ASTM E8/E8M-16 Standard Test Methods for Tension Testing of Metallic Materials, (2016).
33. NIH Image to ImageJ: 25 years of image analysis10.1038/nmeth.2089 ↗
34. B. Beausir, J.-J. Fundenberger, Analysis Tools for Electron and X-ray diffraction, (2017). www.atex-software.eu.
35. PyFAI, a versatile library for azimuthal regrouping10.1088/1742-6596/425/20/202012 ↗
36. Generalized Gradient Approximation Made Simple10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.3865 ↗
37. Application of the exact muffin-tin orbitals theory: the spherical cell approximation10.1016/S0927-0256(99)00098-1 ↗
38. Anisotropic Lattice Distortions in Random Alloys from First-Principles Theory10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.156401 ↗
39. Vitos · 2007
40. First-principles theory of dilute magnetic semiconductors10.1103/RevModPhys.82.1633 ↗
41. A first-principles theory of ferromagnetic phase transitions in metals10.1088/0305-4608/15/6/018 ↗
42. Achieving high ductility at medium temperature in a nonequiatomic CoCrNi alloy10.1016/j.msea.2024.146494 ↗
43. Mechanical performance of a novel low-cost Fe-25Mn-5Co-12.5Cr-5Ni-2.5Si (in at. %) medium-entropy alloy10.1016/j.msea.2023.146032 ↗
44. Cryogenic mechanical behaviors of CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy10.1016/j.msea.2020.139579 ↗
45. A Hall-Petch study of the high toughness Cr40Co30Ni30 multi-principal element alloy10.1557/s43578-022-00729-5 ↗
46. Si-addition contributes to overcoming the strength-ductility trade-off in high-entropy alloys10.1016/j.ijplas.2022.103443 ↗
47. Temperature-dependent universal dislocation structures and transition of plasticity enhancing mechanisms of the Fe40Mn40Co10Cr10 high entropy alloy10.1016/j.ijplas.2021.103148 ↗
48. Cryogenic deformation strengthening mechanisms in FeMnSiNiAl high-entropy alloys10.1016/j.actamat.2024.120554 ↗
49. Effects of stacking fault energy and temperature on grain boundary strengthening, intrinsic lattice strength and deformation mechanisms in CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloys with different Cr/Ni ratios10.1016/j.actamat.2022.118541 ↗
50. Comparison of tensile properties between the NiFeCoCr high-entropy alloys10.1016/j.msea.2024.146661 ↗
51. Coupling effect of temperature and strain rate on mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms of Cr26Mn20Fe20Co20Ni14 high-entropy alloy10.1016/j.msea.2024.146525 ↗
52. Medium Mn transformation-induced plasticity steels: recent progress and challenges10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.07.013 ↗
53. Twinning and martensite in a 304 austenitic stainless steel10.1016/j.msea.2012.05.080 ↗
54. Strength and ductility of 316L austenitic stainless steel strengthened by nano-scale twin bundles10.1016/j.actamat.2011.11.009 ↗
55. From High-Entropy Alloys to High-Entropy Steels10.1002/srin.201500133 ↗
56. The effect of dislocation contrast on x-ray line broadening: a new approach to line profile analysis10.1063/1.117951 ↗
57. X-ray line broadening from filed aluminium and wolfram10.1016/0001-6160(53)90006-6 ↗
58. Upscale Production and Characterization of the Cr40Co30Ni30 Multiprincipal Element Alloy10.1007/s11661-024-07570-x ↗
59. Contribution of Orowan strengthening effect in particulate-reinforced metal matrix nanocomposites10.1016/j.msea.2006.10.184 ↗
60. Uncertainty and statistics of dislocation-oxide interactions on strength and creep failure of oxide dispersion strengthened steels10.1016/j.engfracmech.2023.109679 ↗
61. Exploring the relative influence of atomic parameters on solid solution strengthening10.1038/s41467-025-63900-6 ↗
62. Dieter · 1961
63. Argon · 2008
64. Taylor hardening in five-power-law creep of metals and Class M alloys10.1016/j.actamat.2003.08.019 ↗
65. Solid-solution strengthening in refractory high entropy alloys10.1016/j.actamat.2019.06.006 ↗
66. Theory of strengthening in fcc high entropy alloys10.1016/j.actamat.2016.07.040 ↗
67. Solute strengthening in random alloys10.1016/j.actamat.2016.09.046 ↗
68. High entropy alloys: a focused review of mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms10.1016/j.actamat.2019.12.015 ↗
69. Temperature-dependent yield stress of single crystals of non-equiatomic Cr-Mn-Fe-Co-Ni high-entropy alloys in the temperature range 10-1173 K10.1016/j.actamat.2023.118712 ↗
70. Stabilizing nanostructures in metals using grain and twin boundary architectures10.1038/natrevmats.2016.19 ↗
71. Analysis of strengthening due to grain boundaries and annealing twin boundaries in the CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy10.1016/j.ijplas.2019.08.009 ↗
72. Alloying effects on the stacking fault energy in austenitic stainless steels from first-principles theory10.1016/j.actamat.2006.04.013 ↗
73. Temperature-dependent hardening contributions in CrFeCoNi high-entropy alloy10.1016/j.actamat.2021.117371 ↗
74. In situ neutron diffraction unravels deformation mechanisms of a strong and ductile FeCrNi medium entropy alloy10.1016/j.jmst.2021.10.034 ↗
75. Study of the plastic deformation mechanism of TRIP-TWIP high entropy alloys at the atomic level10.1016/j.ijplas.2019.102649 ↗
76. The effect of austenite grain size on deformation mechanism of Fe-17Mn steel10.1016/j.msea.2021.140972 ↗
77. Derivation and Variation in Composition-Dependent Stacking Fault Energy Maps Based on Subregular Solution Model in High-Manganese Steels10.1007/s11661-009-0050-8 ↗
78. A general mechanism of martensitic nucleation: part I. General concepts and the FCC → HCP transformation
79. Twinning in metastable high-entropy alloys10.1038/s41467-018-04780-x ↗
80. SGTE data for pure elements10.1016/0364-5916(91)90030-N ↗
81. Thermodynamics and kinetics of martensitic transformations10.1016/0502-8205(58)90005-4 ↗
82. Experimental and numerical study on geometrically necessary dislocations and non-homogeneous mechanical properties of the ferrite phase in dual phase steels10.1016/j.actamat.2011.03.062 ↗
83. Identification of Potential TRIP Alloys by CALPHAD Methods, an Accessible Approach10.1007/s11837-023-05930-3 ↗
84. Theory of transformation-mediated twinning10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac282 ↗
85. Stacking fault energies and slip in nanocrystalline metals10.1038/nmat1136 ↗
86. Theory for plasticity of face-centered cubic metals10.1073/pnas.1400786111 ↗