Oxidation resistance and hardness of high entropy alloy composite coating Al ₇₀ (Cr-Fe-Ni) (30-X) (SiC) X prepared on AISI 1018 substrate by mechanical alloying

We successfully coated low carbon steel with high entropy alloy (HEA) composite coating Al70(Cr-Fe-Ni)(30-x)(SiC)x to increase its oxidation resistance. The coating was applied using mechanical alloying (MA), and the phase and microstructure, including hardness, were characterised thoroughly. All samples covered the substrate with a thickness of the coating layer ranging from 103.637 ± 10.5 to 222.751 ± 8.5 μm. The sample with 10 at.% of SiC gave optimal results with a better coating layer thickness, fewer nodules formed, the lowest weight gain value, the best oxidation rate constant, and the ability to produce a larger thickness of Al2O3.