Development and Mechanical Characterization of a CoCr-Based Multiple-Principal-Element Alloy

Abstract The development and mechanical characterization of a CoCr-based multiple-principal-element alloy are presented and discussed. In this work, ab initio synthesis and mechanical characterization of the (CoCr) 100- x (TiNbZr) x ( x = 0, 48 60, 78 and 100 % at) alloy family is reported; these include the calculation of thermodynamic parameters such as mixing entropy (Δ S mix ), mixing enthalpy (Δ H mix ), valence electron concentration (VEC), Ω and δ factors . The alloys were melted in a vacuum arc furnace; rod-shaped ingots were produced by suction casting. Phase characterization was carried out using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction. Mechanical characterization was done via compressive and hardness tests. Calculation of phase diagrams was performed using Thermo-Calc © software. Yang’s model for phase prediction predicted a BCC solid solution. Multicomponent simulations predicted a more complex structure, with Laves (C14 and C15), Theta (C16), BCC 1, 2 and 3, Mu, CoTi 2 , CoZr 3 and TiZr 2 . Contrary to Yang’s model for phase prediction, the experimentally obtained phases agreed reasonability well with those obtained by the Thermo-Calc simulation. The suction cast process cooling rate suppressed the nucleation and growth of some equilibrium phases, i.e., Laves (C14) or BCC 3 for the (CoCr) 100- x (TiNbZr) x ( x = 0, 48 60, 78 and 100 % at) alloys. The hardness test results were strongly related to the intermetallic phase formation, showing an increase of 331% with the x = 78 alloy. The BCC 1 phase played an important role in the yield strength behavior, as the (CoCr) 22 (TiNbZr) 78 alloy, with a considerable amount of this phase, showed the highest yield strength value.