Beyond high-entropiness: An analytical solution to temperature segregation in multicomponent alloys

Abstract A mathematical model was proposed to calculate phase separation temperatures in multicomponent alloys with a single segregating element. The calculated segregation temperatures were compared with previously reported numerical data for fifty-seven equimolar alloys, formed by Cu and other transition metals (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni), with 3 to 7 components. An excellent convergence was achieved, with an average error of 3%. The analytical solution also enabled the identification of key factors influencing the segregation temperature, i.e., the content of the segregating element and the effective interaction parameter involving both direct and indirect interaction energies. Graphical abstract