Additive Manufacturing of High Entropy Alloys

Additive manufacturing of high-entropy alloys combines the mechanical properties of this novel family of alloys with the geometrical freedom and complexity required by modern designs. An approach to additive manufacturing of high-entropy alloys has been developed based on 3D extrusion of inks containing a blend of oxide nanopowders (Co₃O₄ + Cr₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃ + NiO), followed by co-reduction to metals, inter-diffusion and sintering to near-full density CoCrFeNi in H₂. A complex phase evolution path is observed by in-situ X-ray diffraction in extruded filaments: the oxide phases undergo reduction and the resulting metals inter-diffuse, ultimately forming the desired fcc-CoCrFeNi alloy (see figure). Linked to this phase evolution is a complex micro-structural one, from loosely packed oxide particles to fully-annealed, metallic CoCrFeNi with 99.6 ± 0.1% relative density. CoCrFeNi micro-lattices are created with strut diameters as low as 100 μm and excellent mechanical properties at ambient and cryogenic temperatures.