Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols.

66-68 (2011) pp 146-149

Online available since 2011/Jul/04 at www.scientific.net
© (2011) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.66-68.146

Microstructure Evolution and Corrosion Behavior of Directionally

Solidified FeCoNiCrCu High Entropy Alloy

Hongbao Cui1,a, Lifeng Zheng2,b Jinyong WANG 1

1
School of Material Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University,
Jiaozuo, China, 454000
2
Air Defence Forces Command Academy, Zhengzhou, China, 450052
a
cuihongbao@hpu.edu.cn blifengzh1221@163.com

Keywords: Microstructure evolution, directional solidification, FeCoNiCrCu, high entropy alloys.

Abstract. The microstructures of FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloy were investigated under directional
solidification. The results showed that only diffraction peak corresponding to a FCC crystal structure
was observed in the directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu alloy. With increasing solidification rate,
the interface morphology would grows in planar, cellular and dendrite. Comparing the
potentiodynamic polarization of as-cast and directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloy
in a 3.5%NaCl solution, it is clearly reveals that the corrosion resistance of directionally solidified
FeCoNiCrCu alloy is superior to that of the as-cast FeCoNiCrCu alloy.

Introduction
High-entropy alloys are developed rapidly in recent years by Yeh and coworkers[1]. These alloys are
defined to have five or more principal metallic elements with the concentration of each element
varying between 5 and 35 at.%. It is generally found that high-entropy alloys usually form simple
solid solution structures rather than many complex phases at elevated temperatures because of large
mixing entropies. The simple crystal structure might possess many excellent properties, such as ease
of nanoprecipitation[2], high hardness[3-4], superior resistance to corrosion[5].
However, most of previous work about high entropy alloy focused on bulk solidification aspect,
few attempts are made about the directional solidification of high entropy alloys. Directional
solidification (DS) is a technology for crystal growth, which can control the temperature gradient and
growth rate precisely to keep the solidification interface macroscopically planar and eliminate lateral
grain boundary. In this paper, the influence of directional solidification on the microstructure
evolution in FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloy have been carried out at a constant temperature gradient
over a wide range of growth rates, the potentiodynamic polarization of as-cast and directionally
solidified FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloys have also been investigated .

Experimental procedure
Master ingots of FeCoNiCrCu alloy with the equal mole ration were prepared in a vacuum induction
furnace by melting high-purity metals under an argon atmosphere and casting into graphite moulds.
These ingots were machined to rods with diameter of 3.9mm and placed into high purity alumina
crucibles of 4/6 mm diameter(inside/outside diameter).Directional solidification was performed
under an argon atmosphere in a modified Bridgman-type apparatus. The samples were placed in a
high purity alumina crucible and heated to 1600°C and then pulled downward at a uniform rate of 2,
10, 30and 100µm/s, respectively. The thermal gradient in the liquid near the solid/liquid interface was
approximately 160 K/cm.
The alloy specimens were polished both in longitudinal and transverse sections. The
microstructure of the polished specimens were etched with aqua regia for observation under an optical
microscope.

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 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 66-68 147

Results and discussion

Phase analysis of the as-cast FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloy is carried out, and the Fig. 1 is X-ray
diffraction pattern of the as-cast alloy . The result shows that the alloy exists only a single phase FCC
diffraction peaks.

Fig.1 XRD pattern of FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloy

In the constant temperature gradient, Microstructure evolution of directionally solidified
FeCoNiCrCu alloy is studied at various growth rates. Fig.2 shows the longitudinal section
morphologies at the growth rate of V = 2µm/s, V = 10µm/s, V = 30µm/s, V = 100µm/s, respectively.
In the experiment, with the increase of growth rate, FeCoNiCrCu alloy steady-state microstructure has
experienced evolution of planar, cell, cell-dendrite, dendrite. At the growth rate of V=2µm/s, the
solidification rate is very slow, so solidification front shows flat interface, as shown in Fig.2(a). At the
growth rate of V=10µm/s, the solid-liquid interface is disturbed, then flat solid/liquid interface is
destroyed, cellular crystal can form, whose axis are parallel to each other along the solidification
direction and grain size is uniform, seen in Fig.2(b). When the growth rate is V = 30µm/s, the
disturbance of the solid-liquid interface increased, distribution of columnar grain cutting-edge
components re-adjusted, cellular structure tend to disappear, as shown in Fig.2(c). When the growth
rate reaches 100µm/s, the large number of dendritic branches appeared on both sides, the steady-state
microstructures present typical dendrite, and the microstructures are more refined after dendrite tip
splitting to adjust spacing. With the solidification rate increasing, the microstructure is more uniform
and compact, seen in Fig.2(d).
Fig.3 is the cross-section morphology for the directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu alloy. As can
be seen from Fig.3(a), at the growth rate of 2µm/s, the alloy cross-section morphology showed
steady-state flat interface structure, and lateral grain boundaries can not be found , in accordance with
Fig.3(a). At the growth rate of 10µm/s, the transverse section morphology showed steady-state
cylindrical cellular morphology, which are more uniform and grain number has increased
significantly, seen in Fig.3(b). When the solidification rate reaches 30µm/s, cellular-dendritic forms,
as shown in Fig.3(c). At the growth rate of 100µm/s, cellular-dendritic morphology changes into a
typical dendrite structure, grain size becames uniform and smaller, seen in Fig.3(d).
The potentiodynamic polarization curves of directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu alloys in a
3.5% NaCl solution are given in Fig. 4 along with the curves for as-cast FeCoNiCrCu alloys for
comparison. Table 1 summarizes the electrochemical parameters associated with the general
corrosion behavior of the as-cast and directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu alloys in a 3.5%NaCl
solution. The directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu alloys have a wider passive region, which signifies
higher corrosion-resistance in comparison with those of the as-cast FeCoNiCrCu alloy. In the present
work, the corrosion current values of the directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu alloys are significantly
lower than that of the as-cast FeCoNiCrCu alloy. These results indicate that directionally solidified
FeCoNiCrCu alloy is easier to passivate and shows better corrosion-resistance than as-cast
FeCoNiCrCu alloy in a 3.5% NaCl solution.
148 Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering

Fig.2 Microstructures of longitudinal sections of samples at various growth rates

(a)2µm/s, (b)10µm/s, (c)30µm/s, (d)100µm/s

Fig.3 Transverse section of directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu alloys at various growth rates
(a)2µm/s, (b)10µm/s, (c)30µm/s, (d)100µm/s
 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 66-68 149

Fig.4 Polarization curves for as-cast and directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloys
in a 3.5%NaCl solution at 25°C

Table 1 Electrochemistry corrosion parameters of FeCoNiCrCu alloys prepared by different

technology in 3.5% NaCl solution

alloy Ecorr/V Icorr(10-6Amp/cm2) V/mm·a-1

As-cast FeCoNiCrCu alloy -0.23416 31.351 0.36876

Directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu alloy -0.38408 3.4735 0.04085

Conclusions
(1)The XRD results show that only diffraction peak corresponding to a FCC solid solution structure is
observed in the directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloy
(2)Microstructure of directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloy changes from planar,
cellular, cell-dendrite, dendrite with increasing growth rate.
(3) Directionally solidified FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloys are more corrosion-resistant than the
as-cast FeCoNiCrCu high entropy alloy in a 3.5%NaCl solution because directionally solidified
FeCoNiCrCu alloy is easier to passivate .

Acknowledgements
This work was financially supported by Ph.D. Programs Foundation of Henan Polytechnic University
(B2008-5) and Talent introduction Programs of Henan Polytechnic University (Y2009-1)

References
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Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.66-68

Microstructure Evolution and Corrosion Behavior of Directionally Solidified FeCoNiCrCu High

Entropy Alloy
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.66-68.146

DOI References
[1] J.W. Yeh, S.K. Chen, S.J. Lin, J.Y. Gan, T.S. Chin, T.T. Shun, C.H. Tsau and S.Y. Chang: Adv. Eng.
Mater Vol. 6(2004), p.299.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adem.200300567
[2] Y.P. Wang, B.S. Li, M.X. Ren, C. Yang and H.Z. Fu: Materials Science and Engineering : A Vol.
491(2008), p.154.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2008.01.064