An investigation into the dynamic recrystallization behavior of a non-equiatomic high entropy alloy

The recrystallization behavior of a well-known non-equiatomic high entropy alloy by the nominal chemical composition of Fe–27Mn–10Cr–10Co, at.% was investigated. The compression tests were performed in the temperature range of 400–1000 °C by the interval of 200 °C under the strain rate of 0.001 s−1. Initial microstructure consist of face centered cubic and hexagonal phases by the average grain size of 90, and 11 μm, respectively. Interestingly, the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization was observed during compression testing at warm temperature regime (400 and 600 °C). The appreciable grain refinement, the corresponding flow curve softening, and the detailed analysis of the hardening curves according to the Poliak and Jonas method, verified the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization at such warm temperature regime. The required stored energy was provided through the shear reversion of thermally induced martensite before any straining. In contrast, the softening mechanisms was not strong enough to compensate the strain hardening of the single phase microstructure. This further approved the significant role of the martensite phase to trigger the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization. The intensified substructure development and the random microtexture of the recrystallized grains well indicate the contribution of continuous recrystallization mechanism. The microstructure was also considerably refined (by the mean grain size of ∼1.7 μm) through compressive deformation at 1000 °C. In fact, the deformation temperature was high enough to compensate the inhibitory effects of sluggish diffusion and severe lattice distortion.