Enhanced cryogenic strength of high entropy alloys by nanotwins and nanoprecipitates

XY Ding and SZ Li and ZL Yang, MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS, 43, 111734 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2025.111734

Microstructures are critical to crafting mechanically strong high- entropy alloys (HEAs). In this work, tensile properties and deformation mechanisms of FeNiCrCoAl HEAs containing both nanotwins (NTs) and nano- precipitates (NPs) are investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Results indicate that NPs inhibit detwinning softening by restricting twin boundary (TB) migration during cryogenic tensile loading, and they contribute to strengthening by promoting matrix hardening. NTs enhance strength without impacting the shear deformation of the NPs. Additionally, the development of short-range ordering (SRO) provides further strengthening. The HEAs that contain both NTs and NPs thus showcase greater cryogenic tensile strength compared to the HEAs that contain only NTs or NPs. This synergistic effect of NTs and NPs offers a promising strategy for enhancing the mechanical strength and ductility of HEAs.

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