Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Cantor-derived medium-entropy alloys: bridging the gap between traditional metallic and high-entropy alloys

Journal Article · · Journal of Materials Research and Technology
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Military Institute of Engineering, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
  2. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
  3. Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
  4. Military Institute of Engineering, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)
The year 2004 marked the beginning of a new era in the design of metallic materials, as the concept of multiple principal component alloys, commonly known as High-Entropy Alloys (HEAs), was proposed by Cantor and Yeh. The unexpected single-phase microstructure, instead of the expected brittle intermetallic compounds, was attributed to the large entropy of mixing and immediately caught the attention of the scientific community. Today, HEAs are considered important advanced materials and a broad range of alloys using nominally the same design principle have been investigated. Despite that, the CrMnFeCoNi (Cantor) alloy stands out as the most successful HEA due to its outstanding mechanical properties and microstructure. In this scenario, variants of the Cantor alloy, named medium-entropy alloys (MEAs), are gaining significant interest as they display a better industrial potential than both HEAs and traditional alloys. These variants of the Cantor alloy with only three or four main elements result in 15 possible combinations. The microstructure of these alloys is discussed in terms of advanced characterization as well as thermodynamic parameters and computational simulation. Their phase stability is addressed over a wide range of temperatures and strain rates. The mechanical properties, especially the fracture toughness, of the CrFeCoNi and CrCoNi alloys have been reported to be even superior to those of the Cantor alloy and most modern engineering alloys. This is associated with the formation of a continuous sequence of strengthening mechanisms, including hierarchical twin networks, which serve to prolong the strain hardening. The present article reviews and critically assesses, for the first time, recent advances in these Cantor-derived MEAs.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES); FAPERJ; National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231; NA0003842
OSTI ID:
1885459
Journal Information:
Journal of Materials Research and Technology, Journal Name: Journal of Materials Research and Technology Vol. 17; ISSN 2238-7854
Publisher:
Brazilian Metallurgical, Materials and Mining AssociationCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (200)

Multi-Principal-Element Alloys with Improved Oxidation and Wear Resistance for Thermal Spray Coating journal February 2004
Nanostructured High-Entropy Alloys with Multiple Principal Elements: Novel Alloy Design Concepts and Outcomes journal May 2004
Solid-Solution Phase Formation Rules for Multi-component Alloys journal June 2008
Wear resistance and high-temperature compression strength of Fcc CuCoNiCrAl0.5Fe alloy with boron addition journal May 2004
Formation of simple crystal structures in Cu-Co-Ni-Cr-Al-Fe-Ti-V alloys with multiprincipal metallic elements journal August 2004
Stress and Strain Partitioning of Ferrite and Martensite during Deformation journal April 2009
The Role of Carbon in Grain Refinement of Cast CrFeCoNi High-Entropy Alloys journal March 2018
Effects of Constituent Elements and Fabrication Methods on Mechanical Behavior of High-Entropy Alloys: A Review journal October 2018
Effect of Strain Rate on the Tensile Behavior of CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi High-Entropy Alloys journal June 2019
A Regular Solution Model for a Single-Phase High Entropy and Enthalpy Alloy journal July 2017
Body-Diagonal Diffusion Couples for High Entropy Alloys journal November 2017
Phase Formation in Equiatomic High Entropy Alloys: CALPHAD Approach and Experimental Studies journal June 2012
Science and technology in high-entropy alloys journal January 2018
Substitutional solution hardening journal March 1963
Electronic and structural studies of grain boundary strength and fracture in Ll2 ordered alloys—II. On the effect of third elements in Ni3Al alloy journal July 1985
A study of dislocation junctions in FCC metals by an orientation dependent line tension model journal November 2002
Relative effects of enthalpy and entropy on the phase stability of equiatomic high-entropy alloys journal April 2013
The influences of temperature and microstructure on the tensile properties of a CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy journal September 2013
Electronic and thermodynamic criteria for the occurrence of high entropy alloys in metallic systems journal August 2014
Temperature dependence of the mechanical properties of equiatomic solid solution alloys with face-centered cubic crystal structures journal December 2014
Design of a twinning-induced plasticity high entropy alloy journal August 2015
A geometric model for intrinsic residual strain and phase stability in high entropy alloys journal August 2015
Mechanical properties, microstructure and thermal stability of a nanocrystalline CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy after severe plastic deformation journal September 2015
A precipitation-hardened high-entropy alloy with outstanding tensile properties journal January 2016
Predicting the formation and stability of single phase high-entropy alloys journal February 2016
Microstructure and strengthening mechanisms in an FCC structured single-phase nanocrystalline Co25Ni25Fe25Al7.5Cu17.5 high-entropy alloy journal April 2016
Strain hardening in Fe–16Mn–10Al–0.86C–5Ni high specific strength steel journal May 2016
Decomposition of the single-phase high-entropy alloy CrMnFeCoNi after prolonged anneals at intermediate temperatures journal June 2016
Microstructural stability and mechanical behavior of FeNiMnCr high entropy alloy under ion irradiation journal July 2016
Ductile CoCrFeNiMox high entropy alloys strengthened by hard intermetallic phases journal September 2016
Microstructure evolution and critical stress for twinning in the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy journal October 2016
Theory of strengthening in fcc high entropy alloys journal October 2016
The effect of interstitial carbon on the mechanical properties and dislocation substructure evolution in Fe40.4Ni11.3Mn34.8Al7.5Cr6 high entropy alloys journal November 2016
A critical review of high entropy alloys and related concepts journal January 2017
The fcc solid solution stability in the Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni multi-component system journal April 2017
Reasons for the superior mechanical properties of medium-entropy CrCoNi compared to high-entropy CrMnFeCoNi journal April 2017
A TRIP-assisted dual-phase high-entropy alloy: Grain size and phase fraction effects on deformation behavior journal June 2017
The evolution of the deformation substructure in a Ni-Co-Cr equiatomic solid solution alloy journal June 2017
Shear and shuffling accomplishing polymorphic fcc γ → hcp ε → bct α martensitic phase transformation journal September 2017
Heterogeneous precipitation behavior and stacking-fault-mediated deformation in a CoCrNi-based medium-entropy alloy journal October 2017
Dynamic shear deformation of a CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy with heterogeneous grain structures journal April 2018
Adiabatic shear localization in the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy journal June 2018
Boron doped ultrastrong and ductile high-entropy alloys journal June 2018
Phase prediction in high entropy alloys – A kinetic approach journal July 2018
Phase stability and kinetics of σ-phase precipitation in CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloys journal December 2018
Interstitial equiatomic CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloys: carbon content, microstructure, and compositional homogeneity effects on deformation behavior journal February 2019
Outstanding tensile properties of a precipitation-strengthened FeCoNiCrTi0.2 high-entropy alloy at room and cryogenic temperatures journal February 2019
High entropy alloys: A focused review of mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms journal April 2020
Reversible dislocation movement, martensitic transformation and nano-twinning during elastic cyclic loading of a metastable high entropy alloy journal February 2020
Vanadium is an optimal element for strengthening in both fcc and bcc high-entropy alloys journal April 2020
Chemical short range order strengthening in a model FCC high entropy alloy journal May 2020
First-principles prediction of incipient order in arbitrary high-entropy alloys: exemplified in Ti0.25CrFeNiAl journal May 2020
Consideration of kinetics on intermetallics formation in solid-solution high entropy alloys journal August 2020
Effect of interstitial oxygen and nitrogen on incipient plasticity of NbTiZrHf high-entropy alloys journal October 2020
Nitrogen induced heterogeneous structures overcome strength-ductility trade-off in an additively manufactured high-entropy alloy journal March 2020
Ultrahigh hardness and high electrical resistivity in nano-twinned, nanocrystalline high-entropy alloy films journal May 2018
An understanding of high entropy alloys from phase diagram calculations journal June 2014
Phase stability of an high-entropy Al-Cr-Fe-Ni-V alloy with exceptional mechanical properties: First-principles and APT investigations journal December 2019
Fundamental deformation behavior in high-entropy alloys: An overview journal October 2017
Physical metallurgy of concentrated solid solutions from low-entropy to high-entropy alloys journal December 2017
Portevin-Le Chatelier mechanism in face-centered-cubic metallic alloys from low to high entropy journal November 2019
Effects of Al addition on the microstructure and mechanical property of AlxCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloys journal July 2012
More than entropy in high-entropy alloys: Forming solid solutions or amorphous phase journal October 2013
Recovery, recrystallization, grain growth and phase stability of a family of FCC-structured multi-component equiatomic solid solution alloys journal March 2014
Effects of electro-negativity on the stability of topologically close-packed phase in high entropy alloys journal September 2014
Empirical design of single phase high-entropy alloys with high hardness journal March 2015
Effects of Nb additions on the microstructure and mechanical property of CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloys journal May 2015
Compositional dependence of phase formation and mechanical properties in three CoCrFeNi-(Mn/Al/Cu) high entropy alloys journal December 2016
Precipitation behavior and its effects on tensile properties of FeCoNiCr high-entropy alloys journal December 2016
Severe plastic deformation driven nanostructure and phase evolution in a Al 0.5 CoCrFeMnNi dual phase high entropy alloy journal December 2017
Stacking fault energy of face-centered-cubic high entropy alloys journal February 2018
Direct laser deposited bulk CoCrFeNiNbx high entropy alloys journal November 2019
Effect of Mn and V on structure and mechanical properties of high-entropy alloys based on CoCrFeNi system journal April 2014
Effect of V content on microstructure and mechanical properties of the CoCrFeMnNiVx high entropy alloys journal April 2015
Designing eutectic high entropy alloys of CoCrFeNiNb x journal January 2016
A new thermodynamic parameter to predict formation of solid solution or intermetallic phases in high entropy alloys journal February 2016
Exceptional resistance to grain growth in nanocrystalline CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy at high homologous temperatures journal March 2016
Strengthening the CoCrFeNiNb0.25 high entropy alloy by FCC precipitate journal May 2016
First principles exploration of near-equiatomic NiFeCrCo high entropy alloys journal July 2016
Structure of some CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeNiPd multicomponent HEA alloys by diffraction techniques journal October 2016
Effect of carbon content and annealing on structure and hardness of the CoCrFeNiMn-based high entropy alloys journal December 2016
Ni tracer diffusion in CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloys journal December 2016
Studies of “sluggish diffusion” effect in Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni, Co-Cr-Fe-Ni and Co-Fe-Mn-Ni high entropy alloys; determination of tracer diffusivities by combinatorial approach journal January 2018
Elastic moduli and thermal expansion coefficients of medium-entropy subsystems of the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy journal May 2018
Strength enhancement of high entropy alloy HfNbTaTiZr by severe plastic deformation journal November 2018
Phase evolution and stability of nanocrystalline CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloys journal January 2019
Phase formation and thermal stability of CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi equiatomic high entropy alloys journal February 2019
Experimental investigation and phase diagram of CoCrMnNi–Fe system bridging high-entropy alloys and high-alloyed steels journal May 2019
Nanoindentation into a high-entropy alloy – An atomistic study journal September 2019
Strain-rate-sensitive mechanical response, twinning, and texture features of NiCoCrFe high-entropy alloy: Experiments, multi-level crystal plasticity and artificial neural networks modeling journal December 2020
Effects of stress states and strain rates on mechanical behavior and texture evolution of the CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy: Experiment and simulation journal January 2021
Analysis of the twin spacing and grain size effects on mechanical properties in hierarchically nanotwinned face-centered cubic metals based on a mechanism-based plasticity model journal March 2015
Effect of Niobium on Microstructure and Properties of the CoCrFeNb x Ni High Entropy Alloys journal July 2017
Vacancy formation enthalpies of high-entropy FeCoCrNi alloy via first-principles calculations and possible implications to its superior radiation tolerance journal February 2018
Short-range ordering and its effects on mechanical properties of high-entropy alloys journal January 2021
Deformation induced hcp nano-lamella and its size effect on the strengthening in a CoCrNi medium-entropy alloy journal August 2021
Dynamic deformation behavior of a FeCrNi medium entropy alloy journal February 2022
Microstructure and mechanical properties of multiprincipal component CoCrFeNiMox alloys journal August 2012
Influence of severe plastic deformation on the microstructure and hardness of a CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy: A comparison with CoCrFeNiMn journal August 2019
Prediction of high-entropy stabilized solid-solution in multi-component alloys journal February 2012
Hall-petch relationship and heterogeneous strength of CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy journal September 2020
High strain-rate compressive deformation behavior of the Al0.1CrFeCoNi high entropy alloy journal December 2015
Enhanced mechanical properties of a CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy by supercooling method journal April 2016
A hexagonal close-packed high-entropy alloy: The effect of entropy journal April 2016
Understanding phase stability of Al-Co-Cr-Fe-Ni high entropy alloys journal November 2016
Hardening of an Al0.3CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy via high-pressure torsion and thermal annealing journal July 2015
Effect of prolonged aging on phase evolution and mechanical properties of intermetallic strengthened CoCrFeNi2.1Nbx high entropy alloys journal August 2019
Microstructural features and tensile behaviors of a novel FeMnCoCr high entropy alloys journal September 2020
High-entropy alloy: challenges and prospects journal July 2016
Interface affected zone for optimal strength and ductility in heterogeneous laminate journal September 2018
Microstructural development in equiatomic multicomponent alloys journal July 2004
Deformation induced FCC to HCP transformation in a Co–27Cr–5Mo–0.05C alloy journal December 2010
Strain partitioning in dual-phase steels containing tempered martensite journal August 2014
Nanoindentation studies of the mechanical properties of the μ phase in a creep deformed Re containing nickel-based superalloy journal May 2015
Anomalies in the deformation mechanism and kinetics of coarse-grained high entropy alloy journal January 2016
Strengthening of nanoprecipitations in an annealed Al0.5CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy journal August 2016
Effect of annealing on mechanical properties of a nanocrystalline CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy processed by high-pressure torsion journal October 2016
Effect of coherent L12 nanoprecipitates on the tensile behavior of a fcc-based high-entropy alloy journal June 2017
Effect of Ti on microstructures and mechanical properties of high entropy alloys based on CoFeMnNi system journal November 2018
Back stress strengthening dual-phase AlCoCr2FeNi2 high entropy alloy with outstanding tensile properties journal February 2019
Overcoming the strength-ductility trade-off via the formation of nanoscale Cr-rich precipitates in an ultrafine-grained FCC CrFeNi medium entropy alloy matrix journal August 2019
Tuning the mechanical properties of Fex(CoMoNi)100-x high-entropy alloys via controlled formation of hard μ phase journal January 2020
A new strategy of tailoring strength and ductility of CoCrFeNi based high-entropy alloy journal February 2020
Molecular dynamics-based analysis of the effect of voids and HCP-Phase inclusion on deformation of single-crystal CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy journal July 2020
Effect of niobium alloying on the microstructure, phase stability and mechanical properties of CoCrFeNi2.1Nbx high entropy alloys: Experimentation and thermodynamic modeling journal August 2020
Effect of Cu on the strengthening and embrittling of an FeCoNiCr-xCu HEA journal January 2022
Molecular dynamic study of temperature dependence of mechanical properties and plastic inception of CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy journal August 2020
Microtwinning and other shearing mechanisms at intermediate temperatures in Ni-based superalloys journal August 2009
Microstructures and properties of high-entropy alloys journal April 2014
Mechanical properties of high-entropy alloys with emphasis on face-centered cubic alloys journal May 2019
Shear localization in metallic materials at high strain rates journal June 2021
Reducing the tension–compression yield asymmetry in a Mg–8Al–0.5Zn alloy via precipitation journal March 2010
Atomic-size effect and solid solubility of multicomponent alloys journal January 2015
Precipitation in the equiatomic high-entropy alloy CrMnFeCoNi journal March 2016
Phase separation of metastable CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy at intermediate temperatures journal January 2017
The origin of negative stacking fault energies and nano-twin formation in face-centered cubic high entropy alloys journal March 2017
Friction stress and Hall-Petch relationship in CoCrNi equi-atomic medium entropy alloy processed by severe plastic deformation and subsequent annealing journal June 2017
Precipitation strengthening of ductile Cr 15 Fe 20 Co 35 Ni 20 Mo 10 alloys journal August 2017
Generalized stacking fault energies, ductilities, and twinnabilities of CoCrFeNi-based face-centered cubic high entropy alloys journal October 2017
Remarkable strength of CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy wires at cryogenic and elevated temperatures journal December 2017
Chemical short-range orders and the induced structural transition in high-entropy alloys journal February 2018
A novel concept of pseudo ternary diffusion couple for the estimation of diffusion coefficients in multicomponent systems journal April 2018
Composition evolution of gamma prime nanoparticles in the Ti-doped CoFeCrNi high entropy alloy journal April 2018
Micro- and mesoscale mechanical properties of an ultra-fine grained CrFeMnNi high entropy alloy produced by large strain machining journal March 2020
Shock-induced amorphization in medium entropy alloy CoCrNi journal March 2022
Nanostructured nitride films of multi-element high-entropy alloys by reactive DC sputtering journal November 2004
Surface hardening of FCC phase high-entropy alloy system by powder-pack boriding journal August 2019
Fast production of high entropy alloys (CoCrFeNiAlxTiy) by electric current activated sintering system journal September 2018
Effect of alloying elements on stacking fault energies of γ and γʹ phases in Ni-based superalloy calculated by first principles journal November 2020
Metastable high-entropy dual-phase alloys overcome the strength–ductility trade-off journal May 2016
Exceptional damage-tolerance of a medium-entropy alloy CrCoNi at cryogenic temperatures journal February 2016
Dislocation mechanisms and 3D twin architectures generate exceptional strength-ductility-toughness combination in CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy journal February 2017
Polymorphism in a high-entropy alloy journal June 2017
Accelerated exploration of multi-principal element alloys with solid solution phases journal March 2015
High-entropy alloys journal June 2019
Enhanced strength and ductility in a high-entropy alloy via ordered oxygen complexes journal November 2018
Short-range order and its impact on the CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy journal May 2020
Radioactive isotopes reveal a non sluggish kinetics of grain boundary diffusion in high entropy alloys journal September 2017
Experiments and Model for Serration Statistics in Low-Entropy, Medium-Entropy and High-Entropy Alloys journal November 2015
Atomistic clustering-ordering and high-strain deformation of an Al0.1CrCoFeNi high-entropy alloy journal August 2016
Interstitial atoms enable joint twinning and transformation induced plasticity in strong and ductile high-entropy alloys journal January 2017
High-velocity deformation of Al0.3CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy: Remarkable resistance to shear failure journal February 2017
Absence of long-range chemical ordering in equimolar FeCoCrNi journal June 2012
On the role of hierarchical twins for achieving maximum yield strength in nanotwinned metals journal August 2012
Investigations of quaternary interdiffusion in a constituent system of high entropy alloys journal September 2015
Research Update: The materials genome initiative: Data sharing and the impact of collaborative ab initio databases journal March 2016
Fulfilling the promise of the materials genome initiative with high-throughput experimental methodologies journal March 2017
The effect of Cu and Mn elements on the mechanical properties of single-crystal CoCrFeNi-based high-entropy alloy under nanoindentation journal May 2021
Dynamically reinforced heterogeneous grain structure prolongs ductility in a medium-entropy alloy with gigapascal yield strength journal June 2018
Tunable stacking fault energies by tailoring local chemical order in CrCoNi medium-entropy alloys journal August 2018
The transition metals and their alloys journal April 1954
High-entropy alloys: a critical assessment of their founding principles and future prospects journal April 2016
A pseudobinary approach to study interdiffusion and the Kirkendall effect in multicomponent systems journal June 2013
Pseudo-binary and pseudo-ternary diffusion couple methods for estimation of the diffusion coefficients in multicomponent systems and high entropy alloys journal May 2019
The inhibition of deformation twinning by precipitates in a magnesium-zinc alloy journal August 1969
Ultrastrong Mg Alloy via Nano-spaced Stacking Faults journal February 2013
Criterion for Sigma Phase Formation in Cr- and V-Containing High-Entropy Alloys journal August 2013
High-Entropy Alloys: A Critical Review journal April 2014
A second criterion for sigma phase formation in high-entropy alloys journal December 2015
Back stress strengthening and strain hardening in gradient structure journal March 2016
Constitutive modeling of deformation behavior of high-entropy alloys with face-centered cubic crystal structure journal February 2017
On the strain rate-dependent deformation mechanism of CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy at liquid nitrogen temperature journal May 2017
Heterogeneous materials: a new class of materials with unprecedented mechanical properties journal June 2017
Cryogenic-deformation-induced phase transformation in an FeCoCrNi high-entropy alloy journal February 2018
Atomic short-range order and incipient long-range order in high-entropy alloys journal June 2015
Strong Strain Hardening in Nanocrystalline Nickel journal November 2009
Amorphization in extreme deformation of the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy journal January 2021
Multicomponent intermetallic nanoparticles and superb mechanical behaviors of complex alloys journal November 2018
Tracer Diffusion of Cobalt in High-Entropy Alloys Al$_{x}$FeNiCoCuCr journal August 2017
Effects of cold rolling and subsequent annealing on the microstructure of a HfNbTaTiZr high-entropy alloy journal December 2016
Tracer diffusion in single crystalline CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloys journal June 2018
L1 2 -strengthened high-entropy alloys for advanced structural applications journal June 2018
Vanadium is an optimal element for strengthening in both fcc and bcc high-entropy alloys dataset January 2020
Effects of Boron Content on Microstructure and Wear Properties of FeCoCrNiBx High-Entropy Alloy Coating by Laser Cladding journal December 2019
Exploration and Development of High Entropy Alloys for Structural Applications journal January 2014
Configurational Entropy in Multicomponent Alloys: Matrix Formulation from Ab Initio Based Hamiltonian and Application to the FCC Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni System journal January 2019
Welding Joints in High Entropy Alloys: A Short-Review on Recent Trends journal March 2020
Influence of Ti Addition on the Strengthening and Toughening Effect in CoCrFeNiTix Multi Principal Element Alloys journal September 2021
On Sluggish Diffusion in Fcc Al–Co–Cr–Fe–Ni High-Entropy Alloys: An Experimental and Numerical Study journal December 2017
Superplasticity of AlCoCrCuFeNi High Entropy Alloy journal December 2012

Similar Records

Mechanical properties of high-entropy alloys with emphasis on face-centered cubic alloys
Journal Article · Mon Dec 17 19:00:00 EST 2018 · Progress in Materials Science · OSTI ID:1634203

Melts of CrCoNi-based high-entropy alloys: Atomic diffusion and electronic/atomic structure from ab initio simulation
Journal Article · Thu Sep 13 20:00:00 EDT 2018 · Applied Physics Letters · OSTI ID:1543878