Strain-path controlled microstructure, texture and hardness evolution in cryo-deformed AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high entropy alloy

The effect of strain path on microstructure, texture and hardness properties of AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high entropy alloy containing ordered FCC (L12) and ordered BCC (B2) was investigated. The EHEA was cryo-rolled using UCR, MSCR (during which the samples were rotated by 90° around the ND between each pass) and TSCR(45°) (in which the samples were deformed by unidirectional rolling to half of the total strain and then diagonally rolled for rest half of the strain). The UCR processed material showed a rather heterogeneous microstructure. The textures of the L12/FCC and B2 phases in the MSCR processed material agreed with the cross-rolling texture of the corresponding single phase materials, while the texture of the two phases in the TSCR(45°) processed materials appeared rather weak. Upon annealing at 800 °C, the UCR processed materials showed a novel heterogeneous microstructure, while the MSCR and TSCR(45°) processed materials revealed microduplex structure. The heterogeneous microstructure was replaced by the usual microduplex structure at higher annealing temperatures. The annealing texture of the L12/FCC phase showed the presence of α-fiber (ND//<011>) components while the B2 phase showed strong ND-fiber (ND//<111>) components. The UCR processed material with novel heterogeneous microstructure showed much greater hardness as compared to the MSCR and TSCR(45°) processed materials. The present results indicate that strain path exerted significant influence in controlling microstructure, texture and hardness properties of EHEA.