Directionally solidified Al2O3/(Y0.2Er0.2Yb0.2Ho0.2Lu0.2)3Al5O12 eutectic high-entropy oxide ceramics with well-oriented structure,high hardness,and low thermal conductivity

Directionally solidified Al₂O₃/(Y_0.2Er_0.2Yb_0.2Ho_0.2Lu_0.2)₃Al₅O₁₂ eutectic high-entropy oxide ceramics (HEOCs) were successfully prepared with an optical floating zone furnace. The Al₂O₃/(Y_0.2Er_0.2Yb_0.2Ho_0.2Lu_0.2)₃Al₅O₁₂ eutectic HEOCs were pure phases with uniform distribution of rare-earth elements. The preferred growth orientation relationships were <10−10 > {0001}Al₂O₃ // <110 > {211}(Y_0.2Er_0.2Yb_0.2Ho_0.2Lu_0.2)₃Al₅O₁₂. The indentation fracture toughness and Vickers hardness were 6.8 ± 0.9 MPa·m^1/2 and 16.1 ± 0.3 GPa, which were higher than that of Al₂O₃/Y₃Al₅O₁₂ eutectic ceramics. The room temperature bending strength was 333 ± 42 MPa. Crack bridging, deflection and bifurcation were the main toughening mechanism. Hardness and reduced modulus mapping results illustrated that the hardness of (Y_0.2Er_0.2Yb_0.2Ho_0.2Lu_0.2)₃Al₅O₁₂ was close to that of Al₂O₃. Thermal expansion coefficient of Al₂O₃/(Y_0.2Er_0.2Yb_0.2Ho_0.2Lu_0.2)₃Al₅O₁₂ eutectic HEOCs was very similar to that of Al₂O₃/Y₃Al₅O₁₂ but thermal conductivity was as low as 4.9 Wm⁻¹ K⁻¹ due to strong lattice distortion. These results suggest that high-entropy Al₂O₃/(Y_0.2Er_0.2Yb_0.2Ho_0.2Lu_0.2)₃Al₅O₁₂ eutectic ceramics are promising candidates for structural components application in gas turbine engines.