Effect of Ta Addition on Structural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of the CoFeNi2W0.5 High Entropy Alloy
A series of CoFeNi2W0.5Tax (x = 0-0.6) high entropy alloys (HEAs) were synthesized by arc melting to investigate the alloying effect of Ta element on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the CoFeNi2W0.5 alloy system. Phase constitution, microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloys were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopes (SEM), Vickers hardness and compressive test. It was found that when x = 0, the alloy consists of a single-phase face-centered cubic (FCC) solid solution structure and exhibit excellent ductility, the compressive plastic elongation of which can reach 80% without fracture. While with increasing Ta content, the brittle Co2Ta-type Laves phase appears which leads to a decrease of the plastic strain and an increase of the yield strength, and the Vickers hardness shows an obvious increase from HV 179.5 to HV 753.2.