Origin of age softening in the refractory high-entropy alloys

Liu, Junliang; Li, Bo-Shiuan; Gardner, Hazel; Gong, Yilun; Liu, Fengxian; He, Guanze; Moorehead, Michael; Parkin, Calvin; Couet, Adrien; Wilkinson, Angus J.; Armstrong, David E. J.

doi:10.1126/sciadv.adj1511

Origin of age softening in the refractory high-entropy alloys

Journal Article · Fri Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2023 · Science Advances

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adj1511· OSTI ID:2371034

^[1]; Li, Bo-Shiuan ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[5]; ^[6]; ^[7]; Parkin, Calvin ^[8]; ^[8]; ^[6]; ^[6]

Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom); Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom); National Sun-Yat Sen Univ., Kaohsiung (Taiwan)
Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom); United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), Abingdon (United Kingdom)
Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom); Max-Planck Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Düsseldorf (Germany)
Univ. of Twente, Enschede (Netherlands)
Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom)
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) are emerging materials with potential for use under extreme conditions. As a newly developed material system, a comprehensive understanding of their long-term stability under potential service temperatures remains to be established. This study examined a titanium-vanadium-niobium-tantalum alloy, a promising RHEA known for its superior high-temperature strength and room-temperature ductility. Using a combination of advanced analytical microscopies, Calculation of Phase Diagrams (CALPHAD) software, and nanoindentation, we investigated the evolution of its microstructure and mechanical properties upon aging at 700°C. Trace interstitials such as oxygen and nitrogen, initially contributing to solid solution strengthening, promote phase segregation during thermal aging. As a result of the depletion of solute interstitials within the metal matrix, a progressive softening is observed in the alloy as a function of aging time. This study, therefore, underscores the need for a better control of impurities in future development and application of RHEAs.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517; NE0008678

OSTI ID:: 2371034

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU--24-78089-Rev000

Journal Information:: Science Advances, Journal Name: Science Advances Journal Issue: 49 Vol. 9; ISSN 2375-2548

Publisher:: AAASCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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