Microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of direct energy deposited AlCu0.25CoCrFeNi2.1 high entropy alloy: Tailored by annealing heat treatment

In this study, a novel high entropy alloy AlCu0.25CoCrFeNi2.1 is additively manufactured by laser direct energy deposition process. The microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the prepared AlCu0.25CoCrFeNi2.1 high entropy alloy are investigated and tailored by annealing heat treatment. The results indicate the alloy exhibits a dual-phase microstructure with face-centered cubic (FCC) columnar dendrites and body-centered cubic (BCC) interdendritic structures. The annealing heat treatment facilitates the precipitation and coarsening of Cu-rich short rod-like B2 phase within the incipient FCC phase and the dissolution of incipient BCC phase, synergistically varying the proportion of FCC/BCC + B2 contents and tailoring the properties. The hardness of microstructure fluctuates under the coupling effect of precipitation strengthening and lattice distortion reduction and shows an overall downward trend with the increase of annealing time. The tensile properties are noteworthily improved within 6-h annealing and achieve a maximum ultimate tensile strength of 1156.4 MPa. After 8-h annealing, the ductility of the alloy obtains a maximum value of 30.3% with minor loss of ultimate tensile strength. The corrosion resistance is dramatically enhanced and obtains the best value after 2-h annealing, and then gradually deteriorates with the destroying of FCC matrix passive film phase by coarsened B2 phases. These results are of great importance in rapidly designing/manufacturing novel high entropy alloys by laser direct energy deposition process and tailoring microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance by annealing heat treatment.