Enhanced an eutectic carbide reinforced niobium alloy by optimizing Mo and W alloying elements.

Niobium alloys play an indispensable role in aerospace technology. However, traditional niobium alloys has unsatisfactory or high-temperature strength or limited room-temperature. This work introduces Nb 2 Mo x W y C 0.25 alloys with strength-plasticity balance by optimizing refractory alloy elements and eutectic carbides drawing on the design concepts of eutectic high-entropy alloys. The influence of Mo and W contents on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloys was studied. The Nb 2 Mo x W y C 0.25 alloy contain body-centered cubic (BCC) primary phase and eutectic structures composed of BCC and carbide phases with semi-coherent interfaces. Appropriate additions of Mo and W refine the grain size of the primary BCC phase and cause the carbide phase to evolve from Nb 2 C to NbC. The Nb 2 Mo 0.5 W 0.5 C 0.25 hypoeutectic niobium alloy composed of BCC and Nb 2 C phases with a relatively small lattice mismatch has a room-temperature yield strength of 1.27 ± 0.04 GPa, compressive strength of 2.03 ± 0.06 GPa, and a fracture strain of 17.8 ± 2.2 %. Solid solution strengthening in the BCC phase and second-phase strengthening of the carbide phase simultaneously enhance the alloy. The fine grain strengthening, reduced crack origination at low mismatch interface, and the crack tip by soft BCC at the phase interface improve the plasticity simultaneously. This paper provides a method to improve the room-temperature plasticity and strength of refractory niobium alloys, laying the foundation for the industrial application of refractory niobium alloys. • By adjusting the content of Mo and W, Nb 2 Mo x W y C 0.25 forms a eutectic structure composed of BCC and carbide phases with semi-coherent interfaces, enhancing its performance. • Nb 2 Mo 0.5 W 0.5 C 0.25 hypoeutectic niobium alloy has a yield strength of 1.27 GPa, compressive strength of 2.03 GPa, and a fracture strain of 17.8 %. • Solid solution strengthening in the BCC phase and second-phase strengthening of the carbide phase simultaneously enhance the alloy. The fine grain strengthening and the crack tip by soft BCC at the phase interface improve the plasticity simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]