Deformation-induced crystalline-to-amorphous phase transformation in a CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy

The Cantor high-entropy alloy (HEA) of CrMnFeCoNi is a solid solution with a face-centered cubic structure. While plastic deformation in this alloy is usually dominated by dislocation slip and deformation twinning, our in situ straining transmission electron microscopy (TEM) experiments reveal a crystalline-to-amorphous phase transformation in an ultrafine-grained Cantor alloy. We find that the crack-tip structural evolution involves a sequence of formation of the crystalline, lamellar, spotted, and amorphous patterns, which represent different proportions and organizations of the crystalline and amorphous phases. Such solid-state amorphization stems from both the high lattice friction and high grain boundary resistance to dislocation glide in ultrafine-grained microstructures. The resulting increase of crack-tip dislocation densities promotes the buildup of high stresses for triggering the crystalline-to-amorphous transformation. We also observe the formation of amorphous nanobridges in the crack wake. These amorphization processes dissipate strain energies, thereby providing effective toughening mechanisms for HEAs.