Wear behavior of CoCrNi medium entropy alloy: A comparison between casting and laser powder bed fusion fabrication

YX Liang and L Jing and Y Mo and J Tu, JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS, 1049, 185307 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.185307

CoCrNi alloy has received wide attention in engineering applications due to its excellent comprehensive performance, but research on its wear resistance is still limited and various preparation processes have a significant impact on its wear resistance. This study systematically investigated the wear behavior of CoCrNi alloys manufactured using two process methods: traditional casting and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The results showed improved wear resistance of the CoCrNi alloy prepared by LPBF. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) characterization results showed that the heterostructure and a large number of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) created by additive manufacturing increase the hardness of the material, which plays a crucial role in improving the frictional resistance of CoCrNi alloy. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulation indicated that plastic deformation during friction was mainly dominated by dislocation slip, and the small number of deformation twins formed during the deformation process is difficult to expand and grow. Although grain boundaries can impede the propagation of friction- generated dislocations into the interior of the sample, they cannot impede the development of GNDs deep within the sample. This study offered a new perspective for optimizing the wear resistance of CoCrNi alloys and provides a theoretical basis for improving their reliability in engineering applications.

Return to Publications page