Investigation of phase transition, tribological behavior and wear mechanisms of WC-enhanced biphase eutectic high entropy alloy by fast hot pressing sintering

Abstract

The wear resistance of materials is crucial in mechanical component design, but there has been limited research on the tribological behavior of WC-reinforced high entropy alloy(HEA) to date. Therefore, this study used fast hot pressing sintering to fabricate WC/AlCoCrFeNi2.1 metal matrix composites (MMCs). It was observed that: 1. The HEAs matrix had a biphase eutectic structure with FCC and BCC phases, while the interfacial layer consisted of M7C3 and M23C6 (M=Cr, W). 2. MMCs showed proportional increases in microhardness, nanoindentation and wear resistance with reinforced particle addition. 3. During frictional processes, an oxide film formed providing material protection, enhancing stability and reducing friction-induced losses. Adhesive wear, abrasive wear, and three-body abrasion were identified as primary types of observed wear.