Effect of carbon on microstructure and mechanical properties of TiZrNb 0.5 V 0.5 lightweight refractory high entropy alloy

• Published in: Materials science and technology
• Main Authors: Hu, Zhongjie, Zhuang, Changling, Qin, Gang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 23.10.2024
• ISSN: 0267-0836; 1743-2847
• DOI: 10.1177/02670836241292554

The single-phase body-centered cubic TiZrNb 0.5 V 0.5 lightweight refractory high entropy alloy exhibits good plasticity but poor strength. Therefore, C is added to this alloy to enhance its strength and improve its mechanical properties in this paper. The influence of varying C content on the microstructure, phase composition, and mechanical behavior of TiZrNb 0.5 V 0.5 C x RHEAs is investigated in detail. The results indicate that C addition leads to the dissolution of alloying dendrites and induces the formation of the FCC – MC carbides phase. The carbide volume fraction increases in proportion to the carbon content, thereby enhancing the alloy's yield strength and hardness. The yield strength increases by 36%, while the hardness increases by 39%. The physical parameters of the alloy are analyzed, which reveals that the introduction of C increases the alloy's electronegativity and atomic radius difference, thus promoting the formation of carbides.