Towards the Ultimate Strength of Medium‐Entropy Alloys Through Pulsed Lasers

Tavares, Sheron S.; Righi, Gaia; Ruestes, Carlos J.; Meyers, Marc A.

doi:10.1002/adfm.202527395

Towards the Ultimate Strength of Medium‐Entropy Alloys Through Pulsed Lasers

Journal Article · Fri Jan 16 00:00:00 EST 2026 · Advanced Functional Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202527395· OSTI ID:3019912

Tavares, Sheron S. ^[1]; Righi, Gaia ^[2]; Ruestes, Carlos J. ^[3]; ^[1]

University of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain)

The tensile strength of metals at extreme strain rates is a key predictor of their performance in ballistic and structural impact applications. An important experimental method to reach these extreme strain rates is the use of high-amplitude, short-duration pulsed lasers. The Jupiter Laser Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory enabled probing for the first time the mechanical response of several promising High Entropy Alloys at times on the order of nanoseconds (strain rates of ∼10⁷ and ∼10⁹ s⁻¹). The measured strength is in the range of 6 to 10 GPa, ten times the quasistatic value. The mechanisms of plastic deformation and failure were identified and quantified through analysis and molecular dynamics simulation. The reflected wave amplitudes, obtained by VISAR, were used to determine the tensile (spall) stress. The high tensile strength obtained is due to two factors: the strain-rate dependence of plastic flow and the kinetics of void nucleation, growth, and coalescence. The experimental results are compared with an analytical prediction considering both grain-interior and grain-boundary void initiation. Molecular dynamics simulations, conducted at strain rates of 10⁸ and 10⁹ s⁻¹, rationalize the experimental results. In conclusion, they provide valuable information about the process of failure evolution, and reveal that grain boundary separation plays a pivotal role in spalling.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344; NA0004147

Other Award/Contract Number:: SCW1836

OSTI ID:: 3019912

Report Number(s):: LLNL--JRNL-2016061

Journal Information:: Advanced Functional Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Functional Materials; ISSN 1616-301X; ISSN 1616-3028

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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