The microstructure and mechanical properties of the laser-welded joints of as-hot rolled AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high entropy alloy

AlCoCrFeNi_2.1 hot-rolled eutectic high entropy alloys were welded by laser welding, yielding a free-defect laser-welded connection. With the use of optical microscopy, EDS, EBSD, and XRD, the microstructure of the base metal (BM), fusion zone (FZ), and heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the joint was examined. The produced joint underwent tensile and micro-hardness testing as well as a fracture morphology examination. A similar tensile strength in the FZ and BM is measured, while a decrease in the elongation. The typical layered lamellar structures, in particular an FCC + BCC dual-phase structure, were all visible in the HAZ, BM, and FZ zones. The α-fiber and γ-fiber as well as other textures are determined by the ODF figure, indicating a potential orientation distribution of the as-hot rolled AlCoCrFeNi_2.1 joint. A clear grain refinement characteristics in the fusion zone as a result of the uneven thermal cycling during the welding process. The results of the mechanical test demonstrate the base metal has the highest hardness value, i.e. 500–550 HV_0.2, within the welded joint zone. The welded joint has a tensile strength ∼1200 MPa, which is marginally higher than ∼1150 MPa in the base metal, and an elongation that decreases by 20 % from base metal to welded joint, indicating a decrease in the plasticity of the welded joint. A combination of brittle and ductile fracture occurs in welded joints during tensile failure. This study may give possibilities for the engineering application of laser welding of AlCoCrFeNi_2.1 eutectic high entropy alloy in the future.