Effects of Er2O3 contribution on microstructure and mechanical properties of high entropy and dual phase alloys

The study aimed to look at the differences between a high entropy alloy and a dual phase high entropy alloy with high iron and Mn content. It also wanted to find out what happened when a small amount of the rare earth element erbium oxide (Er2O3) was added to these alloys, especially on the mechanical and microstructure of the alloy. The first step in this study was to get 99 % pure metal powders, which were then made by dividing the powders into 30 g of equal weight. The powders were mixed evenly and then pressed into 10-g blocks under 6 tons of pressure. They were then set up to be melted in an arc. Four of the eight samples that were melted in an arc under vacuum were treated with heat. The four different compositions were then turned into small metallographic samples for SEM, EDX, Mapping, XRD, and microhardness tests. The study's imaging and analysis processes were also carried out. After that, SEM images were taken at various magnifications (100X, 500X, 1000X, 2500X, and 5000X), and EDS and XRD analyses were done on different structures found in these images. These analyses were based on literature research about the clarity of the metallographic images in the alloy, which showed the study's metallographic differences. The samples were put through microhardness and wear tests to see which one was stronger and less worn. The dual phase high entropy alloy (A2) was stronger and less worn than the high entropy alloy (A1). Er2O3 had little effect on the alloys' mechanical properties or microstructure. The heat treatment that was done to the samples helped the metallographic structure. In terms of physics, it didn't change the hardness much, but it did make the material wear less quickly. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.