Ultrastrong, high plasticity, and softening-resistant refractory high-entropy alloy via stable isostructural coherent interfaces

Abstract

Traditional approaches for improving the mechanical performance of alloys entail modifying interfaces, particularly grain boundaries, with elemental segregation or secondary phases. However, these methods face challenges in concurrently improving the strength, plasticity, and high-temperature softening resistance of alloys. Here, we uncovered that stable isostructural coherent interfaces effectively address these challenges. In the model body-centered cubic (BCC) MoTaVW refractory high-entropy alloy (RHEA) fabricated by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering, controlling the sintering temperature enhances the preferential segregation of W at interfaces. This results in a distinct BCC W-enriched nanolayer between micrometer-scale grains. This nanolayer facilitates dislocation slip and prevents grain growth, thereby improving both plasticity and resistance to high-temperature softening. Consequently, the MoTaVW RHEA featuring stable isostructural coherent interfaces achieves an ultrahigh yield strength of 1410 MPa and a plasticity of 22 % at ambient temperature. Even at 1200 °C, it maintains a yield strength of 575 MPa under hot compression.