Interface-affected mechanical properties and strengthening mechanisms in heterogeneous high entropy alloy nanolaminates

Introducing heterogeneous interfaces by constructing laminated structure is a promising avenue to achieve the controllable strengthening behavior of high entropy alloys. In this work, the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of magnetron sputtered Ni/Fe50Mn30Co10Ni10 nanolaminates with equal layer thickness h ranging from 5 to 150 nm were investigated systematically. With reducing h, the nanoindentation hardness of Ni/FeMnCoNi nanolaminates firstly increased and subsequently decreased, emerging a maximum value at the critical h of similar to 25 nm due to the transformation of constraining barrier for dislocation slipping from the heterogeneous interfaces to columnar grain boundaries. Microstructural observation demonstrated that the interfacial structure of Ni/FeMnCoNi transformed from incoherent to completely coherent at h below similar to 25 nm, and both the constituent layers made comparable contribution to the plastic deformation of Ni/FeMnCoNi nanolaminates. The strong h-dependent mechanical behavior could be rationalized in terms of the co-deformation of constituent layers and the structural evolution of Nil FeMnCoNi interface. Additionally, the strengthening mechanisms were discussed based on the confined slip of dislocation within the constituent layers and columnar grains. (C) 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V.