Obtenção do carbeto de alta entropia (TiVTaNbW)C via moagem de alta energia

Abstract

High-entropy alloy-based ceramic carbides represent a new class of materials that has garnered significant interest within the scientific community and industries such as aerospace, thermal spray coatings, high-temperature molds and dies, cutting tools, and radiation-resistant shields. Various carbide compositions are produced using different processing methods. This study aims to obtain equimolar High-Entropy Carbide (HEC), (TiVTaNbW)C, by High-Energy Ball Milling (HEBM), using metallic precursor powders. HEBM occurs in two stages: the first involves the formation of the high-entropy alloy (TiVTaNbW), with milling cycles of 6, 12, and 18 hours; the second focuses on obtaining the HEC, analyzed at 6 and 12 hours, both at 500 RPM. The carbide’s properties were analyzed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), Vickers Hardness, Confocal Microscopy, and Pin-on-Disk tribological tests. XRD revealed characteristic carbide peaks, while SEM showed carbide regions and the surface element distribution. FTIR indicated typical metal-carbon bonding bands, and SPS improved the material’s properties, reaching a Vickers hardness of 16.24 ± 2.01 GPa and a KIC value of 6.83 ± 0.73 MPa√m, as obtained by confocal analysis. The Pin-on-Disk test recorded a wear rate of 285.17 μm and a friction coefficient of 0.46. The results confirm that obtaining (TiVTaNbW)C via High-Energy Ball Milling is a promising process with potential applications in industries requiring high wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high hardness, thermal stability, and fracture toughness.