High strength and ductility in a dual-phase hetero-structured AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy by powder metallurgy

We used powder hot extrusion followed by annealing to fabricate a dual-phase AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy consisting of both non-recrystallized and recrystallized grains with dense nano-sized precipitates arranged in heterogeneous structures. The resulting alloy exhibits superior tensile properties with a yield strength of ∼1.2 GPa, an ultimate tensile strength of ∼1.5 GPa, and a uniform elongation of ∼18%. Such multiscale microstructure results in exceptional strain hardening of the AlCoCrFeNi2.1 alloy by activating remarkable hetero-deformation induced (HDI) stresses. Our study provides an effective approach to fabricating high-performance structural materials via dual-phase heterogeneous microstructure design.