Effect of Heat Treatment Temperature on Microstructure and Properties of FeCrVTa0.1W0.1Ti0.1C0.17 Alloy of Multi-components

doi:10.11901/1005.3093.2025.274

Chinese Journal of Materials Research

2026, Vol. 40

Issue (6): 474-480 DOI: 10.11901/1005.3093.2025.274

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Effect of Heat Treatment Temperature on Microstructure and Properties of FeCrVTa_0.1W_0.1Ti_0.1C_0.17 Alloy of Multi-components

GUO Wei¹^,²^,³, ZHANG Yuelin¹^,², CAO Ziheng¹^,², LI Longfeng¹^,², ZHAO Mi⁴(

), WU Shusen¹^,²

^1.State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die & Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
^2.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
^3.Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
^4.School of Aerospace Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China

Cite this article:

GUO Wei, ZHANG Yuelin, CAO Ziheng, LI Longfeng, ZHAO Mi, WU Shusen. Effect of Heat Treatment Temperature on Microstructure and Properties of FeCrVTa_0.1W_0.1Ti_0.1C_0.17 Alloy of Multi-components. Chinese Journal of Materials Research, 2026, 40(6): 474-480.

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Abstract

FeCrV-based alloy FeCrVTa_0.1W_0.1Ti_0.1C_0.17 was prepared by vacuum arc melting technique, and subjected to vacuum heat treatment. Then the effect of heat treatment temperatures (800 ^oC, 900 ^oC, 1000 ^oC) on its microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated viacompression tester, hardness tester, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalyzer and X-ray diffractometer. It reveals that heat treatments at 800 and 900 ^oC may significantly enhance the alloy strength (yield strength up to 1501 MPa) through precipitation strengthening by fine intragranular Laves phases. However, as temperature increases, the Fe-rich phase at grain boundaries evolves from isolated dendrites into a continuous network structure, acting as a preferential path for crack propagation and leading to reduced ductility. At 1000 ^oC, coarsening of Laves phases severely weakens their strengthening effect, while the Fe-rich phase transforms into isolated blocky particles, alleviating grain boundary embrittlement and restoring ductility to 28.9%, with strength returning to the as-cast level. The results demonstrate that the morphology (connectivity) of the Fe-rich phase is the key factor governing ductility, while the size of Laves phases dominates the evolution of strength. This finding provides a reference for balancing the strength-ductility of FeCrV-based alloys of multi-components.

Key words: metallic materials multi-principal element alloy heat treatment microstructure mechanical properties precipitation strengthening

Received: 11 September 2025

TG139

Fund: National Natural Science Foundation of China(52201075);Key Research and Development Program of Hubei Province(2025BAB012);Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province(2023AFB798);Shenzhen Science and Technology Program(JCYJ20220530160813032);Shenzhen Science and Technology Program(JCYJ20240813153421029)

Corresponding Authors: ZHAO Mi, Tel: 17508640660, E-mail: zhaomi2018@hust.edu.cn

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	GUO Wei
	ZHANG Yuelin
	CAO Ziheng
	LI Longfeng
	ZHAO Mi
	WU Shusen

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https://www.cjmr.org/EN/10.11901/1005.3093.2025.274 OR https://www.cjmr.org/EN/Y2026/V40/I6/474

Fig.1 XRD patterns of FeCrVTa_0.1W_0.1Ti_0.1C_0.17 alloy after heat treatment at different temperatures

Fig.2 SEM images of HT800 at different magnifications (a) low-power microstructure, (b) high-power microscopic structure, (c) Laves phase microstructure

Table 1 Elements in iron-rich phase at the grain boundaries of the FeCrVTa_0.1W_0.1Ti_0.1C_0.17 alloy after heat treatment at different temperature (atomic fraction, %)

Fig.3 SEM image of HT900 (a) low-magnification microstructure, (b) high magnification microstructure, area B is the gray precipitated phase, (c) microstructure of Laves phase

Fig.4 EDS elemental distribution of HT900 alloy

Fig.5 SEM image of HT1000 (a) low-magnification microstructure, (b) high-magnification microstructure, the C zone is the gray precipitate phase, (c) Laves phase microstructure diagram

Fig.6 Mechanical properties of the FeCrVTa_0.1W_0.1Ti_0.1C_0.17 alloy after heat treatment at different temperatures (a) compressed stress-strain curve, (b) curve showing the variation of mechanical properties with heat treatment temperature

Table 2 Mechanical properties of the FeCrVTa_0.1W_0.1Ti_0.1C_0.17 alloy after heat treatment at different temperatures

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