Effects of rolling at different temperatures and subsequent recovery annealing on the mechanical properties of a metastable carbon containing FeMnCoCr high-entropy alloy

Metallic materials or alloys consisting of single face-cubic centered (FCC) phases typically face difficulties in obtaining high strength without sacrificing ductility. The introduction of different crystalline defects via pre-straining and the activation of multiple deformation mechanisms have been shown to be effective in achieving superior strength–ductility synergy. In this work, we investigated the role of varying rolling conditions and subsequent annealing on the mechanical response in an established twinning- and transformation-induced plasticity dual phase high-entropy alloy (TWIP-TRIP-DP HEA). We found that all of the annealed samples exhibited similar nano-twinned structures. Furthermore, phase transformation from FCC γ to hexagonal close-packed (HCP) ε prevailed along the nano-twins under mechanical loading. With increasing rolling temperature, the phase stability of the matrix revealed a downward trend, resulting in a significant increase in TWIP/TRIP effects along with a prominent change in the deformation microstructure. Our study presented a simple and feasible strategy for manipulating mechanical performance by modulating the microstructural characteristics and associated deformation modes.