Microstructure and mechanical properties of gas metal arc welded CoCrFeMnNi joints using a 308 stainless steel filler metal

In this paper, gas metal arc welding of a CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy was performed using 308 stainless steel filler wire. Electron backscatter diffraction and synchrotron X-ray diffraction were used to determine the microstructural evolution, while microhardness mapping and non-contact digital image correlation were employed to assess the local mechanical response across the welded joints. Further, thermodynamic calculations were implemented to support the understanding of the microstructure evolution. Through a systematic analysis of the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties, it is established a correlation between welding process, microstructure and mechanical properties. Besides, this work lays the foundations for the use of low-cost arc-based welding technologies for successful joining and application of welded joints based on high entropy alloys.