Review of the Heterogeneous Microstructures, Precipitation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Precipitation-strengthened High-entropy Alloys
Author of the article:WANGSongyu, WUYixia, HE Feng
Author's Workplace:State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
Key Words: high-entropy alloy; precipitation strengthening; additive manufacturing; microstructure; mechanical properties
Abstract:
Additively manufactured precipitation-strengthened high-entropy alloys exhibit excellent synergy between
strength and ductility, demonstrating promising prospects for engineering applications. The rapid solidification
characteristics inherent to additive manufacturing introduce unique heterogeneous microstructural features that significantly
alter the precipitation behavior and ultimately affect the mechanical properties of these alloys. This review systematically
summarizes four typical microstructural characteristics found in additively manufactured precipitation-strengthened
high-entropy alloys: heterogeneous grain morphology, solidification segregation, in-situ formed secondary phases, and
dislocation networks. Special emphasis is placed on the mechanisms by which these characteristics influence precipitation
behavior, including nucleation, growth, and coarsening, during subsequent heat treatment. The tensile properties,
strengthening mechanisms, and deformation behavior of these alloys are comprehensively discussed. Finally, current
research progress is summarized, and future research directions are proposed.