On the hot-worked microstructure of a face-centered cubic Al0.3CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy

© 2019 Acta Materialia Inc. Hot deformation mechanisms and restoration behavior of a single-phase face-centered cubic high entropy alloy was studied. The hot-deformed microstructure consisted of complex shaped deformation/transition bands. For the first time in these alloys, self-screening microband arrays were detected. The microbands were of highly crystallographic nature, i.e., they were aligned with traces of {111} slip planes containing slip systems having the highest or second highest possible Schmid factors. Dynamic recrystallization initiated mainly at the initial grain boundaries through strain-induced boundary migration generally followed by the formation of multiple twinning chains. Also, micro-shear-band induced recrystallization was observed locally, mainly due to strain localization.