Tensile properties of an AlCrCuNiFeCo high-entropy alloy in as-cast and wrought conditions

Extensive multistep forging at 950 °C was applied to the cast AlCuCrFeNiCo high-entropy alloy to transform the cast coarse dendritic structure into a fine equiaxed duplex structure consisting of the mixture of BCC and FCC phases, with the average grain/particle size of ∼1.5 ± 0.9 μm. Tensile properties of the alloy in the as-cast and forged conditions were determined in the temperature range of 20–1000 °C. The hot forged alloy was stronger and more ductile during testing at room temperature, than the as-cast alloy. The yield stress (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and tensile ductility (δ) of the forged condition were 1040 MPa, 1170 MPa, and 1%, respectively, against 790 MPa, 790 MPa and 0.2% for the as-cast condition. In both conditions, the alloy showed brittle to ductile transition (BDT), with a noticeable increase in the tensile ductility within a narrow temperature range. In the as-cast condition, this transition occurred between 700 and 800 °C, while in the forged condition, it was observed between 600 and 700 °C. With an increase in the testing temperature above the BDT, a continuous decrease in tensile flow stress and an increase in tensile ductility were observed. In the temperature range of 800–1000 °C, the forged alloy showed superplastic behavior. The tensile elongation was above 400% and reached 860% at 1000 °C.