Deciphering the exceptional chemical activity of a High-entropy metallic glass

High-entropy metallic glasses (HEMGs), characterized by both compositional and structural disorders, serve as exemplary systems for exploring entropy effects. This study shows that a Fe₂₅Co₂₅Mn₂₅Si₁₀B₁₅ HEMG significantly outperforms conventional Fe-based MGs and reduced iron in degrading azo dyes in a neutral environment. Through experiments and density functional theory calculations, it is identified that three entropy-related factors boost the reactivity: the high-entropy structure leading to an uneven charge distribution, the well-dispersed Fe atoms initiating the reaction, and the disordered structure activating otherwise inactive Co atoms. These factors collectively enhance the reactivity, highlighting how entropy can influence chemical properties of alloys. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.