Annealing-induced hardening in high-pressure torsion processed CoCrNi medium entropy alloy

Nanocrystalline CoCrNi equiatomic alloy processed by high-pressure torsion shows annealing induced hardening at 500 °C and 600 °C. The microstructural characterization indicates the hardening phenomenon is not because of precipitation hardening. The annealing-induced hardening is explained based on the reduced dislocation density and grain boundaries relaxation.