Processing of a single-crystalline CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy and evolution of its thermal expansion and elastic stiffness coefficients with temperature

Abstract The equiatomic CrCoNi alloy is regarded as a model single-phase face-centered cubic medium-entropy alloy. A CrCoNi single crystal was grown by a Bridgman technique using a Ni-base superalloy seed. The elastic stiffnesses and thermal expansion coefficient were determined between 100 K and 673 K employing resonant ultrasound spectroscopy and dilatometry, respectively. All data were found to be in excellent agreement with those reported for polycrystalline CrCoNi. A comparison of the normalized Cauchy pressure of CrCoNi with those of other alloys indicates that interatomic bonds become more directional with increasing Cr-concentration while Co and Ni promote a metallic character.