Effect of AlCrCuFeNi high entropy alloy reinforcements with and without B4C on powder characteristic, mechanical and wear properties of AA5083 metal-metal composites

This study presents a novel approach to enhancing the properties of the AA5083 alloy by incorporating a high entropy alloy (HEA), specifically AlCrCuFeNi, through mechanical alloying. The Al/HEA composites were thoroughly characterized in terms of powder morphology, microstructure, fracture and wear surface morphology, phase composition, and oxidation behavior using XRD, SEM-EDS, and TGA. The impact of HEA, both with and without B₄C reinforcement, on the hardness, density, tensile strength, and wear properties of the AA5083 matrix composites was comprehensively evaluated. The findings revealed that the AA5083 alloy exhibited a baseline hardness of 74.7 HB and a tensile strength of 174.1 MPa. However, with the addition of HEA + B₄C, these properties were markedly enhanced, with the hardness increasing to 150.1 HB (a 100 % increase) and tensile strength to 247.1 MPa (a 50 % increase). Furthermore, the wear resistance of the composite experienced a substantial improvement, with a nearly six-fold increase due to the HEA + B₄C reinforcement.