Influence of the thermal factor on the composition of electron­beam high­entropy ALTiVCrNbMo coatings

Abstract

This paper reports results of studying the element and phase compositions of electron-beam coatings based on the high-entropy alloy AlTiVCrNbMo, depending on the deposition temperature (in the range of 300...700 °С). The high-entropy alloys were melted in an arc furnace in an atmosphere of high-purity argon. Vacuum condensates of the high-entropy alloy (AlTiVCrNbMo) with a thickness of 3–5 µm were obtained in the vacuum setup UVN-2M-1 at a working vacuum of 5·10 -5 mТоrr. The alloy evaporation was performed from the water-cooled ingot mold using an electron-beam gun with a power of 5 kW. Condensation of vapors of all the elements of the alloy was performed onto copper substrates at temperatures of 300, 500, 700 °C. Based on analysis of the element composition of materials of the target made of the high-entropy six-element alloy AlTiVCrNbMo and electron-beam coatings, based on it, we established the critical parameter (specific heat of vaporization of an element) that defined a selective change in the element composition. In accordance with a characteristic change in the composition of coatings of the multi-element high-entropy alloy, 3 groups of elements were distinguished: with a specific heat of evaporation of 280...350 kJ/mol (group 1), 420…460 kJ/mol (group 2), and 590…680 kJ/mol (group 3). It was shown that the formation of a single-phase coating of the high-entropy alloy (based on BCC of the crystalline lattice) occurs at the higher deposition temperature of 500...700 °C when the coating consists of not less than 5 elements. It was established that based on the conditions for an electron-beam process of materials formation, the results obtained can be divided into two types: those determined by the condition of evaporation of the target and those determined by the conditions of coating deposition. The density of flows of elements, evaporated from the target, is determined by their specific heat of evaporation. However, the ratio of atoms in the flow, derived in this way, may not be retained in the formed coating due to the secondary evaporation of elements from the growth surface. The obtained results allow us to substantiate principles for the selection of components for achieving the optimal element and phase compositions of high-entropy alloys.