Exceptional hardness in multiprincipal element alloys via hierarchical oxygen heterogeneities
Refractory multiprincipal element alloys (RMPEAs) are potential successors to incumbent high-temperature structural alloys, although efforts to improve oxidation resistance with large additions of passivating elements have led to embrittlement. RMPEAs containing group IV and V elements have a balance of properties including moderate ductility, low density, and the necessary formability. We find that oxidation of group IV-V RMPEAs induces hierarchical heterogeneities, ranging from nanoscale interstitial complexes to tertiary phases. This microstructural hierarchy considerably enhances hardness without indentation cracking, with values ranging between 12.1 and 22.6 GPa from the oxide-adjacent metal to the surface oxides, a 3.7 to 6.8× increase over the interstitial-free alloy. Our fundamental understanding of the oxygen influence on phase formation informs future alloy design to enhance oxidation resistance and obtain exceptional hardness while preserving plasticity.
Authors
- Michael J. Waters (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6425-4331)
- James M. Rondinelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0508-2175)
- Jean‐Philippe Couzinié (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7786-397X)
- Keith E. Knipling (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8388-7254)
- Loïc Perrière (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8635-5069)
- Toshihiro Aoki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6620-9390)
- Tyrel M. McQueen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8493-4630)
- Yevgeny Rakita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0448-3735)
- Daniel L. Foley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9185-3479)
- Mitra L. Taheri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5349-1411)
- David Beaudry (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9929-4445)
- Elizabeth J. Opila (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5540-7084)
- Benjamin W. Y. Redemann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8863-4363)
- Gianna M. Valentino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7350-8441)
- Elaf A. Anber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7808-7036)
- Patrick G. Callahan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6904-8171)
- Charlie J. Brandenburg
Institutions
- Northwestern University (US)
- United States Naval Research Laboratory (US)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Université Paris-Est Créteil (FR)
- University of California, Irvine (US)
- Johns Hopkins Medicine (US)
- Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris-Est (FR)
- University of Virginia (US)
- University of Baltimore (US)
- University of Maryland, College Park (US)
- Columbia University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science Advances
- Published
- 2024-09-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ado9697
- Citations
- 15
- Primary Topic
- High Entropy Alloys Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.19