Thermal stability and phase separation of nanoporous high-entropy alloys containing 23 elements

This study fabricated and characterized nanoporous high-entropy alloy (HEA) catalysts containing up to 23 elements using dealloying. The thermal stabilities and phase separation behaviors of these nanostructures were investigated using scanning transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses. The results demonstrated the significant thermal stability of the nanoporous HEAs up to 873 K. A network visualization technique, inspired by social network analysis , was employed using elemental mapping to discern the affinity of the solid solution between different elements in extreme mixing states. The results provided valuable insights into the grouping of “precious,” “refractory,” and “cantor alloy” elements within the HEAs, facilitating the rational design of novel thermally-stable HEAs and catalysts.