High-Temperature Tensile Properties of Thermo-Mechanically Processed Equiatomic NbTaV Refractory Alloy

Increasing demand for high-temperature alloys in applications exceeding 1200°C has spurred significant development of new refractory alloys over the past decade. Despite advancements in alloy design, ductility limitations persist, hindering the workability of refractory alloys in eliminating casting defects and refining the microstructure. In this work, we synthesized an equiatomic NbTaV refractory alloy, which was processed by hot forging at 1200°C or cold rolling at room temperature. After processing, tensile tests were performed at room temperature and 1300°C. At 1300°C, hot-forged specimens exhibited a tensile yield strength of ∼220 MPa and inelastic strain to failure of ∼33%, whereas cold-rolled specimens achieved ∼310 MPa yield strength and ∼18% inelastic strain to failure, exceeding that of commercial refractory alloys. These results demonstrate that straightforward processing routes can simultaneously enhance high-temperature strength and ductility in NbTaV, providing a foundation for future designs and scalable fabrication of ductile, high-strength refractory alloys.