Corrosion Performance of Al0.1CoCrFeNi High Entropy Alloy in Liquid Lead-Bismuth Eutectic at Different Temperatures

Songqin Xia; Yimin Yang; Baoying Wang; Xuan Zuo

Abstract

To investigate the applicability of the Al0.1CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy (HEA) in liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) environments, this study systematically examined the tensile mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of the alloy at temperatures of 350℃, 450℃, and 550℃. The results showed a significant temperature dependence of the alloy’s mechanical properties and fracture mode: At 350℃ and 450℃, a protective oxide film dominated by Al₂O₃ and Cr₂O₃ forms on the alloy surface, endowing the alloy with high tensile strength (up to 1090 MPa at 350℃) and excellent ductility (with fracture strain of 10% at 350 ℃), ultimately resulting in ductile fracture. At 550 ℃, the oxide film undergoes slight damage, accompanied by mild dissolution corrosion. Accordingly, Al and Cr elements dissolve, which in turn triggers liquid metal embrittlement (LME), resulting in a reduction of the alloy's tensile strength to 410 MPa, a decrease in fracture strain to 5%, and the onset of brittle fracture. In addition, no obvious element segregation or massive element loss was observed in the alloy matrix at all test temperatures, indicating that the alloy possesses good chemical stability. This study provides an important reference for the application of the Al_0.1CoCrFeNi HEA in LBE environments.

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