Microstructural evolutions and corrosion behavior of nanocomposite AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high-entropy alloy produced via friction stir processing

Having homogenized the as-cast AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high-entropy alloy followed by cold rolling and subsequent annealing, this study produces surface nanocomposite using friction stir processing (FSP). Three weight percentages of SiC nanoparticles sized between 45-60nm were added during FSP. The microstructural evolutions and corrosion behavior were assessed after and before FSP. As part of the investigation, a series of potentiodynamic polarization tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were conducted in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. Through friction stir processing, the initial microstructure underwent significant modification due to dynamic recrystallization and the Zener pinning applied by SiC-reinforcing nanoparticles. The hard B2 phases, which function as preferred sites for localized corrosion, were broken and redistributed during FSP, resulting in a notable increase in corrosion resistance. After performing FSP, the cold-rolled and annealed sample exhibited a significant increase in corrosion resistance, from 1.7 kΩ.cm2 to 129.4 kΩ.cm2.