Effects of fabrication techniques on the mechanical properties of high entropy alloys: A review

Abstract

The enormous composition possibilities and the potential of developing alloys with improved properties have resulted in a spike in research interest in the area of high entropy alloys (HEAs) since 2010. Being multicomponent alloys with five or more metallic elements mixed in equimolar or non-equimolar ratio, HEAs offer limitless possibilities in the development of new alloys with unique properties as compared to the conventional alloys development techniques that involve the addition of one or more alloying elements in minute quantity to the principal element. Despite the tremendous interest in the field of HEAs and the development of new HEAs with unique properties, a comprehensive review of the effects of fabrication techniques on the mechanical properties of the developed alloys is still limited in the open literature. Hence, an attempt was made in this review to show the different techniques used in the manufacturing and synthesizing of HEAs and the effects of the used techniques on the mechanical properties of the alloys. Finally, some of the major challenges associated with the manufacturing and synthesizing of HEAs are reported.