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Article

Effect of Adding Molybdenum on Microstructure, Hardness, and Corrosion Resistance of an AlCoCrFeNiMo0.25 High-Entropy Alloy

by
Mariusz Walczak
1,*,
Wojciech J. Nowak
2,
Wojciech Okuniewski
1,* and
Dariusz Chocyk
3
1
Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 36D, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
2
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics, Rzeszow University of Technology, Powstanców Warszawy 12, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
3
Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 36D, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Materials 2025, 18(19), 4566; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18194566
Submission received: 11 August 2025 / Revised: 24 September 2025 / Accepted: 28 September 2025 / Published: 30 September 2025

Abstract

Recent literature reports have shown that individual HEAs, especially those of the AlCoCrFeNi composition system alloyed with appropriately selected elements, exhibit excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, making them promising candidates for replacing conventional materials such as austenitic steels in corrosive environments. Therefore, in the present study, the high-entropy alloy AlCoCrFeNiMo0.25 was examined and compared with AISI 304L steel and the reference alloy AlCoCrFeNi. The HEA was produced by arc melting in vacuum. The effect of molybdenum addition (5% at.) on the structure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance was evaluated. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests were carried out in a 3.5% NaCl solution in a three-electrode electrochemical system. The addition of molybdenum to AlCoCrFeNiMox alloy additionally caused, along with the BCC phase, the formation of σ phase and FCC phase (less than 1%), as well as changes in the microstructure, leading to the fragmentation of grains and the formation of a mosaic structure. On the basis of nanoindentation tests, it was established that the addition of Mo increases hardness and elastic modulus and improves nanoindentation coefficients H/E and H3/E2, as well as an increase in the elastic recovery index while decreasing plasticity index (vs. the reference equiatomic HEA). This indicates the improvement of anti-wear properties with impact loading resistance. In turn, electrochemical tests have shown that the addition of Mo improves corrosion resistance. Corrosion pitting develops in Al- and Ni-rich areas of HEA alloys, as a result of galvanic microcorrosion related to Cr chemical segregation. In general, the addition of 5% Mo results in a fine-grained mosaic structure, which primarily translates into favorable nanoindentation and corrosion properties of the AlCoCrFeNiMo0.25 alloy.
Keywords: high-entropy alloys; Mo effect; corrosion resistance; nanoindentation high-entropy alloys; Mo effect; corrosion resistance; nanoindentation

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MDPI and ACS Style

Walczak, M.; Nowak, W.J.; Okuniewski, W.; Chocyk, D. Effect of Adding Molybdenum on Microstructure, Hardness, and Corrosion Resistance of an AlCoCrFeNiMo0.25 High-Entropy Alloy. Materials 2025, 18, 4566. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18194566

AMA Style

Walczak M, Nowak WJ, Okuniewski W, Chocyk D. Effect of Adding Molybdenum on Microstructure, Hardness, and Corrosion Resistance of an AlCoCrFeNiMo0.25 High-Entropy Alloy. Materials. 2025; 18(19):4566. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18194566

Chicago/Turabian Style

Walczak, Mariusz, Wojciech J. Nowak, Wojciech Okuniewski, and Dariusz Chocyk. 2025. "Effect of Adding Molybdenum on Microstructure, Hardness, and Corrosion Resistance of an AlCoCrFeNiMo0.25 High-Entropy Alloy" Materials 18, no. 19: 4566. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18194566

APA Style

Walczak, M., Nowak, W. J., Okuniewski, W., & Chocyk, D. (2025). Effect of Adding Molybdenum on Microstructure, Hardness, and Corrosion Resistance of an AlCoCrFeNiMo0.25 High-Entropy Alloy. Materials, 18(19), 4566. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18194566

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