Wide-temperature-range perfect superelasticity and giant elastocaloric effect in a high entropy alloy

Abstract

The high entropy alloy concept offers unique opportunities for the design of advanced materials with unprecedented properties. However, hitherto most of the research efforts are focused on structural materials. Here, by employing the core effect of severe lattice distortion in high entropy alloys, a novel functional NiCuTiHf0.6Zr0.4 high entropy alloy exhibiting intriguing wide-temperature-range perfect superelasticity in a broad temperature range from 263 to 463 K and giant elastocaloric effect with the maximum adiabatic temperature change of 9.3 K is developed. This work opens the door for designing high-performance superelastic and elastocaloric functional materials with the high entropy alloy concept.

Keywords

• High entropy alloys
• superelasticity
• phase transformation
• high-energy X-ray diffraction
• lattice distortion