Micromechanical Mapping of High Entropy Carbide Based Hardmetals

High Entropy Alloys (HEA) are materials consisting of a mixture of five or more elements in equal or relatively large proportions. They are a promising alternative material due to their desirable properties such as good wettability, high toughness, wear resistance, and temperature stability. Recently, the concept of HEAs has been extended to include high entropy carbides (HECs), which have garnered attention in the scientific community. In this study, the microstructure and micromechanical properties of two different binders, Ni and Co, were characterized for HECs composed of Ti, Ta, Nb, V, and W. A high-speed nanoindentation mapping technique was used to obtain hardness (H) and elastic modulus (E) cartography maps. It allowed for the assessment of the intrinsic mechanical properties of the HECs, binders, and interphases, as well as those of the global microstructural assemblage. A total of 40, 000 imprints were performed in each grade, and the resulting data sets were statistically analysed using 1D and 2D Gaussian approaches. It is found that cartographical maps permit to satisfactorily relate microstructural features and mechanical properties of the constitutive phases through 1D deconvolution statistical analysis.