Phase stability and tensile properties of Co-free Al _0.5CrCuFeNi₂ high-entropy alloys

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are becoming new research frontiers in the metallic materials field. The phase stability of HEAs is of critical significance, but a convincing understanding on it has been somewhat held back by the slow diffusion kinetics, which prevents the completion of diffusion assisted phase transformations toward the equilibrium state. Here a unique methodology, combining both the thermomechanical treatments and thermodynamic calculations, was employed to reveal the phase stability of HEAs, exemplified using the newly developed Al_0.5CrCuFeNi₂ alloy. The metastable nature of the solid solution phases in this high-entropy alloy was uncovered through thermomechanical treatments induced phase transformations, and supported by the thermodynamic calculations. Meanwhile, the tensile properties for both the as-cast and thermomechanically treated alloys were measured, and correlated to their indentation behavior. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.