An Emerging Era of Multi-Metallic High-Entropy Photon-Stimulated Materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• High Entropy Materials (HEMs), alloys with five or more principal metals, show exceptional mechanical and catalytic properties.
• Recent research highlights HEMs' tunable optical properties, spanning visible to infrared wavelengths.
• Existing reviews focus on HEMs' mechanical and electrocatalytic aspects, leaving photo-stimulated properties under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review novel High Entropy (HE) nanostructures and their emerging roles in photo-stimulated applications.
• To consolidate research on HEMs as photoabsorbers, photothermal agents, photodetectors, photoemitters, photocatalysts, and photochromic materials.
• To address the gap in literature concerning the photo-stimulated properties of HEMs.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent advancements in High Entropy Materials (HEMs).
• Focus on nanostructured HEMs, including HE-MXene, HE-layered hydroxides, and HE-alloy nanoparticles.
• Analysis of HEMs' applications in photothermal and photocatalysis.

Main Results:

• HEMs offer significant advantages in optical properties, including bandgap tunability.
• Various nanostructured HEMs are being developed for enhanced performance in photo-stimulated processes.
• HEMs show promise for applications in photoabsorbers, photothermal conversion, photocatalysis, and photochromic devices.

Conclusions:

• HEMs represent a promising class of materials for advanced photo-stimulated applications.
• The unique properties of HE nanostructures are crucial for overcoming current efficiency limitations.
• Further research into HEMs' photo-stimulated functionalities is warranted.