Innovative Synthesis Strategies and Emerging Applications of High-entropy Materials: A Comprehensive Review
Abstract
High-entropy materials (HEMs) represent an emerging category of substances harnessing elevated configurational entropy to stabilize multiple elements within a single crystal lattice, resulting in distinctive physical properties suitable for applications in energy storage, and energy conversion. Initially, the fabrication of these materials involved methods that demanded elevated temperatures and extended synthesis durations. Nevertheless, there are still difficulties in successfully blending components at the atomic level inside the lattice, particularly when synthesizing nanomaterials. The rise of HEMs, characterized by their exceptional mechanical properties, stability under high temperatures, and robust chemical resilience, is anticipated to bring about significant progress in the enhancement of energy storage and conversion technologies. HEMs exist in diverse forms including bulk, films, belts, fibers, and powders. Consequently, the preparation methods encompass the fusion-cast process, physical vapour deposition, powder metallurgy, melt spinning, and more, which will be elaborated upon in the subsequent section. This review presented the evolution of synthesis strategies employed for different types of HEMs, elucidating their formation mechanisms. The synthesis techniques covered in this review include mechanical alloying, spark plasma sintering, arc melting, and various solution-based methods such as sol-gel and chemical vapour deposition. Each method is examined in terms of its principles, advantages, and limitations, providing insights into the factors that influence the composition, microstructure, and phase stability of HEMs.