Tribological characterization of high entropy alloy particles reinforced aluminum matrix composites at room and cryogenic temperatures

High entropy alloy particles reinforced aluminum matrix composites (HEAp/AMC) with mass fractions of 1.5 wt %, 3 wt%, 4.5 wt%, along with pure aluminum, were fabricated via stir-casting. Among these, the 3 wt% HEAp/ AMC exhibited the lowest wear rate. The 3 wt% HEAp/AMC were then subjected to room-temperature rolling (RTR) and cryorolling, and their tribological characteristics were investigated. Compared to RTR HEAp/AMC, the wear rate of cryorolled HEAp/AMC decreased from 3.87 x 10-3 mm3/(Nm) to 2.70 x 10-3 mm3/(Nm) at room temperature, which declined to 1.41 x 10-3 mm3/(Nm) in a cryogenic environment. The wear rate in the cryogenic environment decreased by 63.6 % compared to that at room temperature. The wear debris of the HEAp/AMC in the cryogenic environment was substantially refined, indicating a transition from adhesive wear to abrasive wear.