Twinning-induced strain hardening in dual-phase FeCoCrNiAl0.5 at room and cryogenic temperature
Abstract

A face-centered-cubic (fcc) oriented FeCoCrNiAl0.5dual-phase high entropy alloy (HEA) was plastically strained in uniaxial compression at 77K and 293K and the underlying deformation mechanisms were studied. The undeformed microstructure consists of a body-centered-cubic (bcc)/B2 interdendritic network and precipitates embedded in 〈001〉-oriented fcc dendrites. In contrast to other dual-phase HEAs, at both deformation temperatures a steep rise in the stress-strain curves occurs above 23% total axial strain. As a result, the hardening rate associated saturates at the unusual high value of ~6 GPa. Analysis of the strain partitioning between fcc and bcc/B2 by digital image correlation shows that the fcc component carries the larger part of the plastic strain. Further, electron backscatter diffraction and transmission electron microscopy evidence ample fcc deformation twinning both at 77K and 293K, while slip activity only is found in the bcc/B2. These results may guide future advancements in the design of novel alloys with superior toughening characteristics.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
NSF-PAR ID:
10154088
Journal Name:
Scientific Reports
Volume:
8
Issue:
1
ISSN:
2045-2322
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
The seismic anisotropy of the Earth's solid inner core has been the topic of much research. It could be explained by the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) developing during convection. The likely phase is hexagonal close-packed iron (hcp), alloyed with nickel and some lighter elements. Here we use high energy synchrotron X-rays to study CPO in Fe-9wt%Si, uniaxially compressed in a diamond anvil cell in radial geometry. The experiments reveal that strong preferred orientation forms in the low-pressure body-centred cubic (bcc) phase that appears to be softer than pure iron. CPO is attributed to dominant {110}<111> slip. The onset of the bcc→hcp transition occurs at a pressure of ≈15 GPa, and the alloy remains in a two phase bcc + hcp state up to 40 GPa. The hcp phase forms first with a distinct {11$\bar{2}$0} maximum perpendicular to compression. Modelling shows that this is a transformation texture, which can be described by Burgers orientation relationship with variant selection. Experimental results suggest that bcc grains oriented with <100> parallel to compression transform into hcp first. The CPO of the hcp changes only slowly during further pressure and deviatoric stress increase at ambient temperature. After heating to 1600 K, a change in the hcp CPO is observed with alignment ofmore »