Laser Powder Bed Fusion Processing of Low Cost CoCrFeNiMoxNby High Entropy Alloys with Promising High-Temperature Properties via In Situ Alloying Commercial Powders

A blend of only commercial powders, including Ni625, CoCrF75, and 316L, were used as the raw material for fabricating non-equiatomic CoCrFeNiMoxNby high entropy alloys (HEAs) through laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) via in situ alloying, instead of using pure elemental powders, thus reducing the raw materials cost. The rapid cooling inherent in the PBF-LB/M process facilitated the dissolution of Mo and Nb, resulting in a single FCC phase characterized by high relative densities. High-temperature tensile tests were conducted at room temperature, 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C, revealing mechanical properties that surpassed those reported in existing HEA literature. The remarkable strength of the HEAs developed in this study primarily stemmed from the incorporation of Mo and Nb, leading to the precipitation of Mo and Nb-rich lave phases at elevated temperatures. While constraining elongation when confined to grain boundaries, these precipitates enhanced strength without compromising elongation when distributed throughout the matrix. This work is a feasibility study to explore the usage of commodity compositions from the market to develop HEAs using PBF-LB/M, which opens the possibility of using scraps to further the development of new materials. Consequently, this study presents a rapid and cost-effective approach for HEA development, improving efficiency and sidestepping the direct utilization of critical raw metals for sustainable manufacturing. Moreover, this work also underscores the outstanding mechanical performance of these HEAs at high temperatures, paving the way for the design of innovative alloys for future high-temperature applications.