Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microstructures and Mechanical Performance of Plasma-Nitrided Al0.3CrFe1.5MnNi0.5 High-Entropy Alloys

  • Published:
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of plasma nitriding at 798 K (525 °C) on microstructures and the mechanical performance of Al0.3CrFe1.5MnNi0.5 high-entropy alloys (HEAs) obtained using different cast and wrought processing. All the alloys can be well nitride, with a thickness of around 80 μm, and attain a peak hardness level around Hv 1300 near the surface. The main nitride phases are CrN, AlN, and (Mn, Fe)4N. Those of the substrates are bcc, fcc, Al-, and Ni-rich B2 precipitates, and ρ phase. Their relative amounts depend on the prior processing and also change under the heat treatment during nitriding. The formation of ρ phase during nitriding could in-situ harden the substrate to attain the suitable level required for wear applications. This gives the advantage in simplifying the processing for making a wear-resistance component or a mold since austenitizing, quench hardening, and tempering required for steels such as SACM and SKD steels are no longer required and final finishing can be accomplished before nitriding. Nitrided Al0.3CrFe1.5MnNi0.5 samples have much better wear resistance than un-nitrided ones by 49 to 80 times and also exhibit superior adhesive wear resistance to conventional nitrided alloys: nitriding steel SACM-645 (AISI 7140), 316 stainless steel, and hot-mold steel SKD-61 (AISI H13) by 22 to 55 times depending on prior processing. The superiority is due to the fact that the present nitrided alloys possess a much thicker highly hardened layer than the conventional alloys.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. JEOL is a trademark of Japan Electron Optics Ltd., Tokyo.

References

  1. ASM Handbook, vol. 1, Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High Performance Alloys, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Metals Park, OH, 1990.

  2. ASM Handbook, vol. 2, Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Metals Park, OH, 1990.

  3. C.T. Liu and J.O. Stiegler: ASM Handbook, vol. 2, Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Metals Park, OH, 1990, pp. 913–42.

  4. 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., 2004, vol. 6, pp. 299–303.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. S. Ranganathan: Curr. Sci., 2003, vol. 85, pp. 1404–06.

    Google Scholar 

  6. P.K. Huang, J.W. Yeh, T.T. Shun, and S.K. Chen: Adv. Eng. Mater., 2004, vol. 6, pp. 74–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. J.W. Yeh: Ann. Chim.-Sci. Mater., 2006, vol. 31, pp. 633–48.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. C.Y. Hsu, J.W. Yeh, S.K. Chen, and T.T. Shun: Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2004, vol. 35A, pp. 1465–69.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. C.J. Tong, Y.L. Chen, S.K. Chen, J.W. Yeh, T.T. Shun, C.H. Tsau, S.J. Lin, and S.Y. Chang: Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2005, vol. 36A, pp. 881–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. C.J. Tong, M.R. Chen, S.K. Chen, J.W. Yeh, T.T. Shun, S.J. Lin, and S.Y. Chang: Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2005, vol. 36A, pp. 1263–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. J.M. Wu, S.J. Lin, J.W. Yeh, S.K. Chen, Y.S. Huang, and H.C. Chen: Wear, 2006, vol. 261, pp. 513–19.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. H.Y. Chen, C.W. Tsai, C.C. Tung, J.W. Yeh, T.T. Shun, C.C. Yang, and S.K. Chen: Ann. Chim.-Sci. Mater., 2006, vol. 31, pp. 685–95.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. G.Y. Ke, S.K. Chen, T. Hsu, and J.W. Yeh: Ann. Chim.-Sci. Mater., 2006, vol. 31, pp. 669–84.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Y.J. Zhou, Y. Zhang, Y.L. Wang, and G.L. Chen: Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2007, vol. 454–455, pp. 260–65.

    Google Scholar 

  15. X.F. Wang, Y. Zhang, Y. Qiao, and G.L. Chen: Intermetallics, 2007, vol. 15, pp. 357–62.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Y.J. Zhou, Y. Zhang, Y.L. Wang, and G.L. Chen: Appl. Phys. Lett., 2007, vol. 90, p. 181904.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Y.J. Zhou, Y. Zhang, F.J. Wang, and G.L. Chen: Appl. Phys. Lett., 2008, vol. 92, pp. 241917.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. W.Y. Tang, M.H. Chuang, H.Y. Chen, and J.W. Yeh: Adv. Eng. Mater., 2009, vol. 11, pp. 788–94.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. ASM Handbook: Surface Hardening of Steel, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Materials Park, OH, 1991, pp. 257–461.

  20. A.M. Staines and T. Bell: Thin Solid Films, 1981, vol. 86, pp. 201–11.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Y. Sun and T. Bell: Mater. Sci. Eng., A, 1991, vol. 140, pp. 419–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. ASM Handbook, 10th ed., ASM INTERNATIONAL, Metals Park, OH, 1991, vol. 4, pp. 263–64.

  23. K.-E. Thelning: Steel and Its Heat Treatment: Bofors Handbook, Butterworth and Co., London, 1975, pp. 395–97.

    Google Scholar 

  24. C.T. Lynch: Handbook of Materials Science, CRC Press, Cleveland, OH, 1974.

  25. F.R. Boer, R. Boom, W.C.M. Mattens, A.R. Miedema, and A.K. Niessen: Cohesion in Metals, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1988.

  26. J.M. O’Brien and D. Goodman: ASM Handbook, vol. 4, Heat Treating, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Materials Park, OH, 1991, pp. 420–24.

  27. C.H. Knerr, T.C. Rose, and J.H. Filkowski: ASM Handbook, vol. 4, Heat Treating, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Materials Park, OH, 1991, vol. 4, pp. 387–409.

  28. A.K. Sinha: ASM Handbook, vol. 4, Heat Treating, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Materials Park, OH, 1991, pp. 437–47.

  29. H. Kato, T.S. Eyre, and B. Ralph: Surf. Eng., 1994, vol. 10, pp. 65–75.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support for this research from the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan under Grant No. 97-EC-17-A-08-S1-03

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan R.O.C.

    Wei-Yeh Tang (PhD Student), Ming-Hao Chuang (PhD Student), Su-Jien Lin (Professor) & Jien-Wei Yeh (Professor)

Authors
  1. Wei-Yeh Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ming-Hao Chuang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Su-Jien Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jien-Wei Yeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jien-Wei Yeh.

Additional information

Manuscript submitted April 28, 2009.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tang, WY., Chuang, MH., Lin, SJ. et al. Microstructures and Mechanical Performance of Plasma-Nitrided Al0.3CrFe1.5MnNi0.5 High-Entropy Alloys. Metall Mater Trans A 43, 2390–2400 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-012-1108-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-012-1108-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation