Characteriza>on

of the High Entropy Alloy TiFeCrNiX

CAMM

Connor Moorman1, Brian Welk2, Hamish Fraser2

1Department of Materials Science and Engineering 2Center for the Accelerated Matura>on of Materials
The Ohio State University
What Is a High Entropy Alloy (HEA)?

Fe

Fe

HEAs are a rela>vely new alloy system

HEAs exhibit good mechanical proper>es [1]
High strength even at high temperature
Good duc>lity
Corrosion resistance
Wear resistance
Currently, not much is known why HEAs behave
the way they do, due to their inherent complexity
Improve our understanding of how elements eect
the overall performance of HEAs
Allow for the development of HEAs with more
desirable proper>es

Fe

Ni
Fe

Fe

Fe

Fe

N
i

Ti

Ti

Fe

Fe

Figure 1: (a) Normal BCC crystal structure composed of only one element and (b) an HEA BCC crystal structure.
The atomic size dierence of each element creates strains in the laUce [1].

Base Alloy - TiFeCrNi

Base Alloy Plus Al - TiFeCrNiAl

Base Alloy
Primary dendri>c phase with eutec>c
interdendri>c phase
Secondary phase
Base Alloy Plus Al
Primary dendri>c phase
Non-equiaxed interdendri>c phase
Secondary phase
Base Alloy Plus Cu
Primary dendri>c phase with eutec>c
interdendri>c phase
Cu rich interdendri>c regions
Secondary phase
Base Alloy Plus Mo
Primary dendri>c phase with varying composi>on
Eutec>c interdendri>c phase

Element (atm%)
Phase

Cr

Fe

Ni

Phase

Ti

Cr

Fe

Ni

Al

3.78 68.98 21.59 05.65

20.66 7.02 14.90 30.21 27.20

26.68 17.68 26.95 28.69

26.41 22.87 29.32 6.67 14.63

22.33 11.83 15.79 50.05

14.67 31.93 20.54 12.75 20.10

24.54 15.92 20.50 39.05

20.10 11.52 19.33 24.34 24.71

40

70

35

60

30

50

25
Atm %

80

40

20

30

15

20

10

10

0
0

10

12

14

16

Distance (m)

10

12

14

16

18

Base Alloy Plus Mo - TiFeCrNiMo

Predicted Measured Dierence

Alloy
(HV)
(HV)
(%)
814.5
844.0
3.62
TiFeCrNi
666.1
677.1
1.66
TiFeCrNiAl
729.0
538.1
26.19
TiFeCrNiCu
925.7
901.5
2.61
TiFeCrNiMo
Comparison of the predicted hardness values using
equa>on 1 and the average hardness value found, in
Vickers.

Conclusions

Element (atm%)

Element (atm%)

Cr
Fe
Ni
Mo
phase Ti
Cr
Fe
Ni
Cu Phase Ti

27.53 18.85 35.06 15.82 02.74
10.47 33.19 10.39 03.44 42.51

3.38 70.62 22.09 2.88 1.04
15.09 26.88 26.78 14.42 16.83

24.18 8.29 13.48 33.72 20.32
21.81 20.83 25.91 22.87 8.59

24.83 9.69 17.03 33.51 14.93
40.12 4.27 8.32 46.65 0.65

Equa>on 1: relates the hardness of the HEAs found in

this experiment, in Vickers (HVHEA) to the atomic
percent (AP) of each element (E) and its hardness value
(HVE).

Distance (m)

Base Alloy Plus Cu - TiFeCrNiCu

Hardness values for each HEA found to be related

to the hardness values of the component elements.
Base alloy, base plus Al, and base plus Mo
followed this behavior
Base plus Cu alloy did not
This result was seen in other HEAs with Cu
Hardness rela>onship not observed in HEAs with
unequal atomic ra>os that had been worked
hardened or heat treated
The base alloy was bri`le
Cracking around indents
Addi>on of Al eliminated cracks from around
indents
Addi>on of Cu reduced the cracks found around
indents and reduced overall bri`leness
Addi>on of Mo produced cracks at some indents
and reduced the bri`leness

Average Hardness Values (HV)

TiFeCrNi
844.0
TiFeCrNiAl
677.1
TiFeCrNiCu
538.1
TiFeCrNiMo
901.5

Element (atm%)

Atm %

Eects on ComposiKon

Ti

Characterize and determine the mechanical

proper>es of the base alloy TiFeCrNi
Determine the eects of Al, Mo, and Cu on the
microstructure and mechanical proper>es of the
base alloy

Eects on Hardness

Al

24.23 6.33 11.64 38.95 18.86

23.85 6.16 11.54 41.72 16.73

24.94 3.92 7.21 63.15 0.78

26.65 13.22 18.13 38.67 3.33

80

70

70

60

60

27.29 11.12 15.64 43.61 2.35

Bri`leness of base alloy reduced with each alloying

element
Addi>on of Al reduced bri`leness the most
Hardness for base alloy, +Al, and +Mo related to
composi>on and hardness of elements.
Base alloy with Cu did not follow this rela>onship
Microstructures varied greatly between alloys
Possible intermetallic phases formed
Most of the phases formed did not follow behavior
expected from enthalpy of forma>on.
Ti mostly had an even distribu>on and was
commonly found with Fe and Ni.
Fe found with Ti. Very even distribu>on through
phases.
Cr oqen found with Fe. Also found with Mo and
Al. Did not form phases with other elements very
oqen.
Ni found mostly with Ti and Al. Not found in high
concentra>ons with Cr.
Al found with Ni in high concentra>ons. Also
found with Ti and Cr.
Cu segregated out from Fe and Cr. Found mostly
in-between and phases, with high
concentra>ons of Ni.
Mo found Predominantly in dendrites. Produced
very dis>nct concentra>on gradient decreasing in
concentra>on as distance from center increased.
Found with Cr as well as Fe and even less Ni and
Ti. Typically not found outside of dendrite.

50

Atm %

50
Atm %

Enthalpy of FormaKon
Elements (KJ/g-at) Elements (KJ/g-at)
Ti-Fe
-82
Al-Ni
-81
Ti-Cr
-38
Cu-Ti
-78
Ti-Ni
-140
Cu-Fe
60
Fe-Cr
-6
Cu-Cr
52
Fe-Ni
-6
Cu-Ni
26
Cr-Ni
-26
Mo-Ti
-16
Al-Ti
-135
Mo-Fe
-9
Al-Fe
-41
Mo-Cr
2
Al-Cr
-36
Mo-Ni
-27

Ti

Cr

Eects to Microstructure

Base Alloy
Cr rich regions contained mostly Fe
Ti and Fe found in near equal amounts
Ni rich regions mostly with Ti and lower amounts
of Fe
Cr behavior does not follow enthalpy of mixing
behavior
Ti, Fe, and Al follow to a higher degree
Base Alloy Plus Al
Ni and Al found together in higher amounts
Cr and Al concentra>ons change with one
another
Cr concentra>on inversely related to Ni
concentra>on
Ti and Fe display interac>ve behavior
Fe has even distribu>on in matrix
Elements do not behave as expected from
enthalpy of forma>on
Base Alloy Plus Cu
Almost no Cu found in or phases
Cu found between and phases with Ni
Ni found in high concentra>ons in eutec>c phase
Ti has even distribu>on in eutec>c phase
Cr found predominately with Fe
No strong connec>on to enthalpy of forma>on
Base Alloy Plus Mo
Mo formed dendrites with Cr
Cr also found with Fe
Ti and Ni were found predominantly together
Small correla>on to enthalpy of forma>on

Cr

Ni

Cr

Fe

Fe

Fe

Fe

Fe

MSE
Goals

Al
Fe

An Alloy composed of at least ve base elements.

Gibbs free energy of mixing [1]
Energy of forming solid solu>ons is lower than
that of forming intermetallic compounds
Does not for intermetallic compounds
Forms simple FCC and BCC solid solu>ons

MoKvaKon

Fe

Fe

Center for the Accelerated

Maturation of Materials

40

40

References
[1] B.A. Welk, H.L. Fraser, P.K. Liaw, M.A. Gibson, Evalua>on of composi>on
gradients via LENS for the transi>on from bulk metallic glass to high entropy
alloys, CSIRO., (2013)

30

30
20

20

10

10
0

0
0

10
Distance (m)

12

14

16

18

20

10

Distance (m)

12

14

16

18

Acknowledgements
Hamish Fraser, Brian Welk, Michael Presley, and CAMM for project concept
and support.