Microstructure, thermophysical and electrical properties in AlxCoCrFeNi (0 ≤ x ≤2) high-entropy alloys

AlxCoCrFeNi (0 ≤ x ≤2) alloys were prepared by an arc remelter and investigated. With increasing x, the AlxCoCrFeNi alloys change from single FCC phase to single BCC phase with a transition duplex FCC/BCC region. The weak X-ray diffraction intensities indicate severe X-ray scattering effect of lattice in these high-entropy alloys. Electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity much smaller than those of pure component metals is ascribed as due to this lattice effect. The behavior of electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity can be divided into three parts according to microstructure. Both values of electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity decrease with increasing x in single-phase regions. Values of electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity are even higher than those in the duplex phase region because of the additional scattering effect of FCC/BCC phase boundaries in the alloys. Relative contribution of electron and phonon to electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity is evaluated in this study. It is shown that both electron and phonon components are comparable in these high-entropy alloys, and their transport properties are similar to that of semi-metal.