Microstructural evolution of CrCuFeNiZn nanocrystalline high entropy alloy prepared by mechanical alloying

Abstract

High Entropy Alloys (HEAs) have become the most researched structural materials in the scientific community during the last decade due to their attributes like excellent strength and wear resistance. In this research, CrCuFeNiZn HEA was prepared using mechanical alloying technique. Further, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of prepared HEA were carried out at various milling time intervals (10 min, 5 h, 10 h, 15 h, 20 h, and 25 h) to determine solid solution formation. Results manifest that CrCuFeNiZn HEA exhibited BCC + FCC (dual phase) structure after 25 h of milling. Moreover, the crystallite size as measured from the XRD analysis for the 25 h milled powder was found to be 32.8 nm and lattice strain at the end of milling is calculated to be 0.428%. SEM-EDS analysis further confirms the homogeneous distribution of the constituting elements in the as-fabricated alloy aggregate.