Deformation and fracture of high-entropy AlCoCrFeNi alloy

Using wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM)technology in an atmosphere of argon gas a non - equatomic high entropy alloy (HEA) of AlCoCrFeNi system is obtained: Al (35.67±1.34 at%), Ni (33.79±0.46 at%), Fe (17.28±1.83 at%), Cr (8.28±0.15 at%), Co (4.99±0.09 at%). Scanning electron microscopy method revealed that HEA is a polycrystal material having the grain size (4-15) µm with the particles of second phase located along the grain boundaries. Mapping methods showed that grain volumes are enriched in aluminum and nickel, while grain boundaries contain chromium and iron. Cobalt is distributed in the crystal lattice of the resulting HEA quasi-uniformly. It is shown that during tensile tests, the material was destroyed by the mechanism of intra-grain cleavage. The formation of brittle cracks along the boundaries and at the junctions of grain boundaries, i.e., in places containing inclusions of the second phases, is revealed. It was suggested that one of the reasons for the increased brittleness of HEA, is revealed uneven distribution of elements in the microstructure of the alloy and also the presence in the volume of material discontinuities of various shapes and sizes.