Abstract
The AlCoCrFeNi high entropy alloys are a novel structural material with wide application prospects. In order to investigate the influence of Al and Cr elements on the structure and properties of the alloys, AlxCr1-xCoFeNi (x=0.1, 0.2; 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) HEAs were prepared by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. The microstructure and properties of the AlxCr1-xCoFeNi were analysed using XRD, SEM, EDS, electrochemical workstations, hardness measurement, friction and wear measurement, and room temperature compression measurement. The hardness and friction measurement results demonstrate that when x = 0.1, the crystal structure of Al0.1Cr0.9CoFeNi is composed of dual FCC phases and a trace of σ phase. With the increment of Al content, part of the FCC phase is transformed into BCC phase. When x=0.2~0.5, the alloy is composed of dual FCC phases, BCC phase and a trace σ phase. The Al0.5Cr0.5CoFeNi alloy exhibits the most favourable corrosion resistance, with a self-corrosion voltage of 0.202 V in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The hardness of alloy increases with the increasing of Al content. The Al0.5Cr0.5CoFeNi alloy exhibits the highest hardness value of 412.6 HV. At the initial stage of friction measurement, the wear mechanism of AlxCr1-xCoFeNi was adhesive wear. As the test time increased, oxide layers began to form on the surface of the alloy, resulting in a gradual increase in the coefficient of friction. At this stage, the wear mechanism was characterised by both adhesive and abrasive wear. Once the oxide layers and the wear processes reached dynamic equilibrium, the friction coefficient stabilised, and the wear mechanism transitioned to abrasive wear. Once the oxide layer and the wear process have reached dynamic equilibrium, the friction coefficient tends to stabilise gradually, and the wear mechanism is changed to abrasive wear. Al0.1Cr0.9CoFeNi has the smallest coefficient of friction of 0.513. Al0.5Cr0.5CoFeNi had the longest compression plateau and the greatest compression strain (59.7%) in the compression tests at room temperature.