Effect of Nb addition on the microstructure and properties of AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy

The microstructures and properties of the AlCoCrFeNbxNi high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were investigated. Two phases were found in the prepared AlCoCrFeNbxNi HEAs: one is body-centered-cubic (BCC) solid solution phase; the other is the Laves phase of (CoCr)Nb type. The microstructures of the alloy series vary from hypoeutectic to hypereutectic, and the compressive yield strength and Vickers hardness have an approximately linear increase with increasing Nb content. The residual magnetization (Mr) reaches a maximum for AlCoCrFeNb0.1Ni alloy, which is 6.106 emu/g. The factor of Ω, which is defined as entropy of mixing times 1000 over enthalpy of mixing, well predicts the phase formation for the multicomponents alloys.

► Two phases (BCC and Laves phases) were found in the prepared AlCoCrFeNbxNi HEAs.
► The microstructures vary from the hypoeutectic to the hypereutectic.
► The yielding strength and hardness have linearly increasing trends.
► The residual magnetization (Mr) reaches a maximum for the AlCoCrFeNb0.1Ni alloy.
► The factor of Ω well predicts the phase formation for the multicomponents alloys.