Investigation of the microstructural, mechanical and electrochemical properties of AlCuFeNiTi high entropy alloys produced via arc melting for energy storage applications

Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa

Abstract

The industrial need for stronger, lighter materials has led to a rise in research interest in high entropy alloys, or HEAs, over the past twelve years. Researchers are manipulating the composition of these alloys to enhance the mechanical properties of HEAs. From an industrial perspective, the presence of precipitates negatively influences the mechanical properties, due to the limited solid solubility of high entropy alloys, along with the alloying process. Therefore, to improve the properties of AlCuFeNi high entropy alloy, this study aims to investigates the influence of Titanium Ti on the microstructure, hardness and corrosion, properties of AlCuFeNi high entropy alloy produced via arc melting for energy storage devices. The results showed that the alloys had solid solutions with small face-centered cubic structure and Body centered cubic structure phases. All the samples had the same distribution of dendritic structures. sample AlCuFeNiTi_0.3 (L3) had the highest nanohardness of 75 GPa and elastic modulus of 450 GPa because of its BCC structure. L3 exhibited the highest corrosion resistance with the lowest corrosion rate 1.457E-6 mm/yr. During hardening, passivation layers were formed, which increased corrosion resistance. The L3 sample mechanical qualities and stability make it a potential supporting component for electric vehicles and hybrids. In addition, it might find applications in medical devices, low-power applications, energy storage systems, industrial batteries, and backup power supplies. It is a good option for a range of energy-related applications, because of its electrochemical stability and long-term stability.