Recent advances in additive manufacturing of refractory high entropy alloys (RHEAs): A critical review

Refractory High Entropy alloys (RHEAs) have evolved as a superior multicomponent material having a unique combination of microstructures and mechanical properties. RHEAs are a particular grade of high entropy alloys (HEAs) known for their outstanding high-temperature properties achieved thorough their constituent refractory elements. To date, majority of the RHEAs have been manufactured through several conventional methods, but are limited by certain limitations. Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry by providing excellent opportunities to fabricate RHEAs while providing opportunities for enhancing the design freedom and complex geometrical shapes. As the field is rapidly evolving, a systematic examination of our comprehension is beneficial, and this article attempts to address this issue. To find the right place in industrial markets, additively manufactured RHEAs require further advancements. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of the additively manufactured RHEAs in terms of microstructural characterization, mechanical behaviour and other environmental properties published so far. This review article is presented lucidly with an aim of better understanding for the readers in this domain. To this end, future works and current challenges are also included and discussed briefly.