Abstract
Plasma cladding was used to prepare a CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) coating under different conditions. The process parameters were optimized using an orthogonal experiment design based on surface morphology quality characteristics, dilution rate, and hardness. The optimal process parameters were determined through range and variance analysis to be a cladding current of 70 A, a cladding speed of 7 cm·min−1, and a powder gas flow rate of 8 L·s−1. During the optimized experiments, both the cladded and annealed CoCrFeMnNi HEA coatings exhibit some pores, micro-voids, and a small amount of aggregation. However, the aggregation in the annealed coating is more dispersed than that in the cladded coating. The cladded CoCrFeMnNi HEA coating consists of simple FCC phases, while a new Cr-rich phase precipitates from the FCC matrix after annealing the coating at a temperature range of 550 °C-950 °C. After annealing at 850 °C, the proportion of the FCC phase decreases compared to the cladded coating, and the number of large-angle grain boundaries is significantly reduced. However, the proportion of grains with sizes below 50 µn increases from 61.7% to 74.3%. The micro-hardness and wear resistance of the cladded coating initially increases but then decreases with an increase in annealing temperature, indicating that appropriate annealing can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the CoCrFeMnNi HEA coatings by plasma cladding. The micro-hardness of the CoCrFeMnNi HEA coatings after annealing at 650 °C increases to 274.82 HV0.2, while the friction coefficient decreases to below 0.595.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Li Z Z, Zhao S T, Ritchie R O, et al. Mechanical properties of high-entropy alloys with emphasis on face-centered cubic alloys. Progress in Materials Science, 2019, 102: 296–345.
George E P, Curtin W A, Tasan C C. High entropy alloys: A focused review of mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms. Acta Materialia, 2020, 188: 435–474.
Listyawan T A, Lee H, Park N, et al. Microstructure and mechanical properties of CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy with ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification process. Journal of Materials Science & Technology, 2020, 57(22): 123–130.
Jin G, Li Y, Cui X F, et al. Characterization of high-temperature mechanical properties of plasma-cladded coatings with thermo-mechanical coupling. Materials Characterization, 2018, 145: 196–204.
Oukach S F, Pateyron B, Pawłowski L. Physical and chemical phenomena occurring between solid ceramics and liquid metals and alloys at laser and plasma composite coatings formation: A review. Surface Science Reports, 2019, 74(3): 213–241.
Hariharan S J, Vigneshwar M, Selvamani S T, et al. Optimizing the plasma arc welding process parameters to attain the minimum corrosion rate in the AISI 409M grade ferritic stainless steel autogenous joints. Materials Today: Proceedings, 2019, 16: 1259–1270.
Yuan Y L, Li Z G. Microstructure and tribology behaviors of in-situ WC/Fe carbide coating fabricated by plasma transferred arc metallurgic reaction. Applied Surface Science, 2017, 423(30): 13–24.
Cheng J B, Liang X B, Wang Z H, et al. Formation and mechanical properties of CoNiCuFeCr high-entropy alloys coatings prepared by plasma transferred arc cladding process. Plasma Chemistry & Plasma Processing, 2013, 33(5): 979–992.
Wei Y, Wei X S, Chen B, et al. Parameter optimization for tungsten carbide/Ni-based composite coating deposited by plasma transferred arc hardfacing. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2018, 28 (12): 2511–2519.
Wang D Y, Lai Y B, Li X, et al. Influence of process parameter on the residual stress of multi-track overlapping plasma cladding. Vacuum, 2019, 56(6): 80–84.
Li X, Lai Y B, Yang B, et al. Process optimization and properties of Fe-Cr-C alloy coating prepared by plasma cladding. Surface Technology, 2020, 49(6): 177–184.
Lu J B, Wang B F, Qiu X K, et al. Microstructure evolution and properties of CrCuFexNiTi high entropy alloy coating by plasma cladding on Q235. Surface & Coatings Technology, 2017, 328: 313–318.
Lu B W, Cui X F, Li Y, et al. Microstructure, bonding properties and the basis of pinning effect of in-situ NbC reinforced Co50 composite coating by plasma cladding. Surface & Coatings Technology, 2017, 319: 155–163.
Otto F, Dlouhy A, Pradeep K G, et al. Decomposition of the single-phase high entropy alloy CrMnFeCoNi after prolonged anneals at intermediate temperatures. Acta Materialia, 2016, 112: 40–52.
Sathiyamoorthi P, Asghari-Rad P, Karthik G M, et al. Unusual strain-induced martensite and absence of conventional grain refinement in twinning induced plasticity high-entropy alloy processed by high-pressure torsion. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 2021, 803: 140570.
Wang P, Chen J, Sun B, et al. Effects of annealing process parameters on microstructural evolution and strength-ductility combination of CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy. Materials Science & Engineering: A, 2022, 840: 142880.
Liu J L, Yu H J, Chen C J, et al. Research and development status of laser cladding on magnesium alloys: A review. Optics and Lasers in Engineering, 2017, 93: 195–210.
Hao H, Liu J, Li X, et al. Effect of heat treatment on phase stability and wear behavior of laser clad AlCoCrFeNiTi0.8 high-entropy alloy coatings. Surface & Coatings Technology, 2020, 392: 125758.
Feng G C. Influencing factors and control measures of dilution rate of surfacing welding. Welding Technology, 1996, 25(1): 22–24.
Ye F X, Jiao Z P, Yuan Y H. Precipitation behaviors and properties of micro-beam plasma arc cladded CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy at elevated temperatures. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 2019, 236: 121801.
He F, Wang Z, Wu Q, et al. Phase separation of metastable CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy at intermediate temperatures. Scripta Mater, 2017, 126: 15–19.
Ming K S, Bi X F, Wang J. Microstructures and deformation mechanisms of Cr26Mn20Fe20Co20Ni14 alloys. Materials Characterization, 2017, 134: 194–201.
Tong Z P, Ren X D, Jiao J F, et al. Laser additive manufacturing of FeCrCoMnNi high-entropy alloy: Effect of heat treatment on microstructure, residual stress and mechanical property. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2019, 785: 1144–1159.
Zhang Q, Wang Q, Han B, et al. Comparative studies on microstructure and properties of CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy coatings fabricated by high-speed laser cladding and normal laser cladding. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2023, 947: 169517.
Sun M, Wang B W, Zhang J X, et al. In-situ synthesis of CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy by selective laser melting. Intermetallics, 2023, 156: 107866.
Weng Z Q, Dong G, Zhang Q L, et al. Effects of annealing on microtrucre and properties of FeCrNiCoMn high entropy alloy coating prepared by laser cladding. Chinese Journal of Lasers, 2014, 41(3): 59–64.
Wei C L, Chang Y J, Hu T H, et al. Microstructure and tensile property of a precipitation strengthened high entropy alloy processed by selective laser melting and post heat treatment. Additive Manufacturing, 2020, 36: 101601.
Shahmir H, He J Y, Lu Z P, et al. Effect of annealing on mechanical properties of a nanocrystalline CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy processed by high-pressure torsion. Materials Science & Engineering: A, 2016, 676: 294–303.
Li X F, Feng Y H, Liu B, et al. Influence of NbC particles on microstructure and mechanical properties of AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy coatings prepared by laser cladding. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2019, 788: 485–494.
Yao M J, Pradeep K G, Tasan C C, et al. A novel, single phase, non-equiatomic FeMnNiCoCr high-entropy alloy with exceptional phase stability and tensile ductility. Scripta Materialia, 2014, 72–73: 5–8.
Lin G, Ou X Q, Song N, et al. Effects of carbon on the microstructures and mechanical properties of FeCoCrNiMn high entropy alloys. Materials Science & Engineering: A, 2019, 746: 356–362.
Wang H L, Guo Y X, Lan H W, et al. Effect of spot type on microstructure and properties of MoFeCrTiWAlNb refractory high-entropy alloy coating fabricated by laser cladding. Surface Technology, 2019, 48(6): 130–137.
Munitz A, Salhov S, Hayun S, et al. Heat treatment impacts the micro-structure and mechanical properties of AlCoCrFeNi high entropy alloy. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2016, 683: 221–230.
Wang A J, Wu A S, Fu S, et al. ltrahigh hardness with exceptional thermal stability of a nanocrystalline CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy prepared by inert gas condensation. Scripta Materialia, 2020, 187: 335–339.
Xiao L L, Zheng Z Q, Guo S W, et al. Ultra-strong nanostructured CrMnFeCoNi high entropy alloys. Materials & Design, 2020, 194: 108895.
Fu J X, Cao C M, Tong W, et al. The tensile properties and serrated flow behavior of a thermomechanically treated CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy. Materials Science & Engineering: A, 2017, 690: 418–426.
Liu W H, Wu Y, He J Y, et al. Grain growth and the Hall-Petch relationship in a high-entropy FeCrNiCoMn alloy. Scripta Materialia, 2013, 68: 526–529.
Guo Y X, Shang X J, Liu Q B. Microstructure and properties of in-situ TiN reinforced laser cladding CoCr2FeNiTix high-entropy alloy composite coatings. Surface & Coatings Technology, 2018, 344: 353–358.
Zhou W, Fu L M, Liu P, et al. Deformation stimulated precipitation of a single-phase CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy. Intermetallics, 2017, 85: 90–95.
Acknowledgements
This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51861025), and the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology (No. 20203BDH80W008).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Wen-yi Peng Ph. D, Professor and doctoral supervisor. Her research interests mainly focus on the microstructure, properties, and phase transformation of metal materials. She has presided over the projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), and Major Projects of the Ministry of Education. To date, she has published more than 100 papers, and more than 50 papers have been included in SCI and EI.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wei, Sy., Wang, Cm., Peng, Wy. et al. Effects of process parameters and annealing on microstructure and properties of CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy coating prepared by plasma cladding. China Foundry 20, 491–502 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41230-023-3013-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41230-023-3013-6