High entropy alloy: A promising matrix for high-performance tungsten heavy alloys

The performance of tungsten heavy alloys (WHAs) is related to the characteristic of matrix/W interfaces, which depends directly on the wettability of the matrix materials on W. This work designs a novel WHA that selects an AlCrFeNiV-system high entropy alloy (HEA) as matrix based on its wetting behavior on polycrystalline W. The wetting experiments show that this W/HEA system exhibits low contact angles at the temperatures for liquid phase sintering (LPS), and dissolutive wetting with a moderate W solubility in the HEA. This favorable wetting behavior benefits the densification process during LPS, leading to clean matrix/W interfaces with high bonding strength and hence a high ultimate tensile strength of 1132 MPa in the resulting W/HEA composite. These results indicate that the AlCrFeNiV-system HEA is a promising matrix material for WHAs.