Chemically complex intermetallic alloys: A new frontier for innovative structural materials

Intermetallic materials are bestowed by diverse ordered superlattice structures together with many unusual properties. In particular, the advent of chemically complex intermetallic alloys (CCIMAs) has received considerable attention in recent years and offers a new paradigm to develop novel metallic materials for advanced structural applications. These newly emerged CCIMAs exhibit synergistic modulations of structural and chemical features, such as self-assembled long-range close-packed ordering, complex sublattice occupancy, and interfacial disordered nanoscale layer, potentially allowing for superb physical and mechanical properties that are unmatched in conventional metallic materials. In this paper, we critically review the historical developments and recent advances in ordered intermetallic materials from the simple binary to chemically complex alloy systems. We are focused on the unique multicomponent superlattice microstructures, nanoscale grain-boundary segregation, and disordering, as well as the various extraordinary mechanical and functional properties of these newly developed CCIMAs. Finally, perspectives on the future research orientation, challenges, and opportunities of this new frontier are provided.     

Effect of scandium and zirconium alloying on microstructure and gaseous hydrogen storage properties of YFe3

RM₃ compounds (R = rare earth metals, M = transition metals) have rarely been studied for gaseous hydrogen storage applications because of unfavorable thermodynamics. In this work, the hydrogen storage properties of a single-phase YFe₃ alloy were improved by non-stoichiometric composition and alloying with Sc and Zr. Only the Y_1.1–ySc_yFe₃ (y = 0.22, 0.33) alloys consist of a single rhombohedral phase. The Sc substitution for Y leads to the reduction in the unit cell volume of the YFe₃ phase, and thus significantly increases the dehydriding equilibrium pressure and decreases the dehydrogenation temperature. The alloy Y_0.77Sc_0.33Fe₃ delivers a decomposition enthalpy change of 33.54 kJ/mol and a lowest dehydrogenation temperature of 135 °C, in comparison with 38.99 kJ/mol and 165 °C for the alloy Y_1.1Fe₃. The Zr substitution causes a similar thermodynamic destabilization effect, but the composition and microstructure of Y–Zr–Fe alloys need to be further optimized.     

Microstructure and mechanical behavior of laser aided additive manufactured low carbon interstitial Fe49.5Mn30Co10Cr10C0.5 multicomponent alloy

Laser aided additive manufacturing(LAAM)was used to fabricate bulk Fe49.5Mn30Co10Cr10C0.5 interstitial multicomponent alloy using pre-alloyed powder.The room temperature yield strength(σy),ultimate tensile strength(σUTS)and elongation(εUST)were 645 MPa,917 MPa and 27.0％respectively.The as-built sample consisted of equiaxed and dendritic cellular structures formed by elemental segregation.These cellular structures together with oxide particle inclusions were deemed to strengthen the material.The other contributing components include dislocation strengthening,friction stress and grain bound-ary strengthening.The high εUTS was attributed to dislocation motion and activation of both twinning and transformation-induced plasticity(TWIP and TRIP).Tensile tests performed at-40℃and-130℃demonstrated superior tensile strength of 1041 MPa and 1267 MPa respectively.However,almost no twinning was observed in the fractured sample tested at-40℃and-130℃.Instead,higher fraction of strain-induced hexagonal close-packed(HCP)ε phase transformation of 21.2％were observed for fractured sample tested at-40℃,compared with 6.3％in fractured room temperature sample.     

Corrosion of structural constituents of 2017 aluminium alloy in acidic solutions containing inhibitors

The objective of this study is to establish the corrosion behaviour of the most important structural constituents of the aluminium alloy 2017 in orthophosphoric acid solutions containing heteropolyoxomolybdate, tungstate and vanadate. These are potential candidates for replacing toxic hexavalent chromium species in stripping solution for anodic coatings. The corrosion rate of the alloy is estimated with linear polarisation method. It decreases from 0.58 mA cm⁻² in uninhibited solution to 0.10 mA cm⁻² in a solution containing heteropolyoxomolybdate species. Microscopic studies reveal that heteropolyoxomolybdate species inhibit corrosion of the matrix and intermetallic Al₁₅(Fe,Mn)₃(Si,Cu)₂ but not Mg₂Si. Intermetallic Al₂Cu remains not corroded. Heteropolyoxotungstate species virtually do not inhibit the corrosion of the alloy. The solution containing vanadium species is not stable with time and the corrosion rate is not determined. Nevertheless, corrosion of the matrix is inhibited, but intermetallics Al₁₅(Fe,Mn)₃(Si,Cu)₂ together with Mg₂Si are dissolved. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used for examination of a corrosion product precipitated on the surface.     

Nanoporous Surface High-Entropy Alloys as Highly Efficient Multisite Electrocatalysts for Nonacidic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in alkaline and neutral media offers the possibility of adopting platinum-free electrocatalysts for large-scale electrochemical production of pure hydrogen fuel, but most state-of-the-art electrocatalytic materials based on nonprecious transition metals operate at high overpotentials. Here, a monolithic nanoporous multielemental CuAlNiMoFe electrode with electroactive high-entropy CuNiMoFe surface is reported to hold great promise as cost-effective electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline and neutral media. By virtue of a surface high-entropy alloy composed of dissimilar Cu, Ni, Mo, and Fe metals offering bifunctional electrocatalytic sites with enhanced kinetics for water dissociation and adsorption/desorption of reactive hydrogen intermediates, and hierarchical nanoporous Cu scaffold facilitating electron transfer/mass transport, the nanoporous CuAlNiMoFe electrode exhibits superior nonacidic HER electrocatalysis. It only takes overpotentials as low as ≈240 and ≈183 mV to reach current densities of ≈1840 and ≈100 mA cm⁻² in 1 m  KOH and pH 7 buffer electrolytes, respectively; ≈46- and ≈14-fold higher than those of ternary CuAlNi electrode with bimetallic Cu–Ni surface alloy. The outstanding electrocatalytic properties make nonprecious multielemental alloys attractive candidates as high-performance nonacidic HER electrocatalytic electrodes in water electrolysis.     

Effect of Cu-Rich Phase Precipitation on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CoCrNiCux Medium-Entropy Alloys Prepared via Laser Directed Energy Deposition

CoCrNiCux (x=0.16,0.33,0.75,and 1) without macro-segregation medium-entropy alloys (MEAs) was prepared using laser directed energy deposition (LDED).The microstructure and mechanical properties of CoCrNiCux alloys with increas-ing Cu content were investigated.The results indicate that a single matrix phase changes into a dual-phase structure and the tensile fracture behaviors convert from brittle to plastic pattern with increasing Cu content in CoCrNiCux alloys.In addi-tion,the tensile strength of CoCrNiCux alloys increased from 148 to 820 MPa,and the ductility increased from 1 to 11％with increasing Cu content.The nano-precipitated particles had a mean size of approximately 20 nm in the Cu-rich phase area,and a large number of neatly arranged misfit dislocations were observed at the interface between the two phases due to Cu-rich phase precipitation in the CoCrNiCu alloy.These misfit dislocations hinder the movement of dislocations during tensile deformation,as observed through transmission electron microscopy.This allows the CoCrNiCu alloy to reach the largest tensile strength and plasticity,and a new strengthening mechanism was achieved for the CoCrNiCu alloy.Moreover,twins were observed in the matrix phase after tensile fracture.Simultaneously,the dual-phase structure with different elastic moduli coordinated with each other during the deformation process,significantly improving the plasticity and strength of the CoCrNiCu alloy.     

Phase composition,microstructure and thermophysical properties of the Srx(Zr0.9Y0.05Yb0.05)O1.95+x ceramics

Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=1.0, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7) ceramics were prepared by solid state reaction sintering. The sintered Sr_1.0(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_2.95 is a single-phase solid solution while the sintered Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=0.9?0.7) are composites, and a significant grain growth inhibition is observed in the sintered Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=1.0, 0.9). Rare-earth elements distribution in the bulk materials indicates that Yb and Y preferentially substitute Zr-sites in SrZrO₃, and the highest solubility of RE₂O₃ in pure SrZrO₃ is ～0.8 mol%. The sintered Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x have high thermal expansion coefficients up to ～11.0×10^?6 K^-1 (1200°C). Sr_0.8(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_2.75 has the lowest thermal conductivity of 1.38 W·m^-1·K^-1 at 800°C. Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=1.0, 0.9, 0.8) show no phase transition from 600 to 1400°C, whereas Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=0.9, 0.8) have excellent high-temperature phase stability over the whole investigated temperature range. Therefore, Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=1.0, 0.9, 0.8) are considered as promising TBCs materials that might be operated at higher temperatures compared to YSZ.     

The origin of interfacial delamination in Au/ceramic cofired LTCC structure

The interfacial delamination of electrode/ceramic multilayer structure will seriously damage the reliability of low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) module in practical applications. In this work, three kinds of glasses employed in Au electrode are designed and prepared to study the abnormal expansion and delamination process in the Au/ceramic LTCC multilayer structure. The interfacial delamination in the co-fired structure is found to be attributed to the abnormal expansion of glass in respect to Au electrode at high temperature, which is originated from the enlarged closed pores during the co-firing process. This conclusion is further confirmed by co-firing the sample in a low-pressure condition. The mechanism and elimination of interfacial delamination here provides a feasible solution for the design of novel glasses in Au electrode for LTCC applications.