Microstructural and mechanical properties of AlCoCrCuFeNiSix (x=0 and 0.9) high entropy alloys

Abstract

In this work, the effect of addition of Si on the phase evolution and mechanical properties of AlCoCrCuFeNiSix alloy system has been studied. The High Entropy Alloys (x = 0 and 0.9) have been synthesised by powder metallurgy route which includes mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering. X-ray diffraction technique was performed to understand the alloying behaviour and to investigate the phase formation of the high entropy alloys. The samples after spark plasma sintering comprised mainly of body centered cubic structured phase with a small extent of face centered cubic structured phase. With the addition of silicon, the XRD peak intensity of body centered cubic appears strong compared to the face centered cubic structured phase. Moreover, no intermetallic is observed in AlCoCrCuFeNi high entropy alloy system. However, further accumulation of Silicon results in the evolution of sigma (sigma) phase.