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Published on: November 3, 2017
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Twinning in metastable high-entropy alloys
Shuo Huang1, He Huang2,3, Wei Li2,4
1Applied Materials Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden. shuoh@kth.se.
Nature Communications
|June 20, 2018
Summary
Twinning enhances strength and ductility in high-entropy alloys. This study reveals twinning as a primary deformation mode in metastable alloys, challenging existing plasticity models and enabling material design.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Metallurgy
- Solid Mechanics
Background:
- Twinning is crucial for simultaneous strength and ductility enhancement in medium- and high-entropy alloys.
- The precise mechanisms of twinning in these alloys remain poorly understood, hindering their practical application.
- The thermodynamic instability of many high-entropy alloys at ambient/cryogenic conditions complicates existing plasticity models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the fundamental origin of twinning in high-entropy alloys.
- To investigate twinning as a primary deformation mode in metastable face-centered cubic alloys.
- To challenge and advance existing phenomenological and theoretical plasticity models.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a transparent approach based on effective energy barriers.
- Employed first-principle calculations to analyze twinning mechanisms.
- Investigated metastable face-centered cubic alloys.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that twinning can be the primary deformation mode in certain metastable alloys.
- Showed that the fraction of twinning can exceed previously established upper limits.
- Provided insights into the origin of twinning in high-entropy alloys.
Conclusions:
- The study advances the understanding of plasticity in metals, particularly in high-entropy alloys.
- Optimizing metastable twinning offers a pathway for tailoring mechanical responses in engineering materials.
- This work opens new opportunities for designing advanced materials with superior properties.
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