# High-entropy alloys: five metals, one phase

> A funnel-shaped graphical abstract: five metals pour into one high-entropy alloy nanoparticle, made either by a 55 ms carbothermal shock or by slowly reducing a mixed precursor. Below, what a single random solid solution buys: a bulk alloy that gets tougher in the cold, one shared fcc lattice and nanoparticle catalysts.

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- Updated: 2026-10-14
- Category: Materials graphical abstracts
- Method: Graphical abstract
- Starting materials: Salts or a single-source precursor of five or more metals
- Product: Single-phase high-entropy alloy nanoparticles (and bulk alloys) in which the metals share one lattice at random
- Key result: Shock: ~2000 K for 55 ms, up to eight elements (Yao et al. 2018); fcc PtIrOsRhRu, a = 3.8324 Å (Pittkowski et al. 2023); CrMnFeCoNi > 1 GPa, > 200 MPa·m½ (Gludovatz et al. 2014)
- Figure: 1920 × 1080 px, 103 editable layers (3 generated objects with settings)

## Steps

1. **Five metals**: HEAs are alloys of at least five elements (Pittkowski et al. 2023); configurational entropy in alloys of five or more major elements may stabilize a single solid solution (Gludovatz et al. 2014)
2. **Route 1 · carbothermal shock**: Metal salts on a carbon support shocked to ~2000 K for 55 ms alloy up to eight dissimilar elements into single-phase nanoparticles (Yao et al. 2018)
3. **Route 2 · mixed precursor**: A single-source precursor reduced in 5% H₂/Ar at 700 °C for 60 min gives single-phase PtIrOsRhRu particles; only two of eight binary mixes did (Pittkowski et al. 2023)
4. **What one phase buys**: CrMnFeCoNi: fcc, > 1 GPa and > 200 MPa·m½, tougher at cryogenic temperatures (Gludovatz et al. 2014); quinary HEA nanoparticles oxidize ammonia with ~100% conversion and > 99% NOx selectivity (Yao et al. 2018); PtIrOsRhRu beats Pt for oxygen reduction (Pittkowski et al. 2023)

## Uses

- Graphical abstracts on high-entropy alloys and high-entropy nanoparticles
- Talks on multi-element catalysts
- Teaching configurational entropy and solid solutions

## References

1. Yao et al., “Carbothermal shock synthesis of high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles”, Science 2018. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan5412 (method origin)
2. Pittkowski et al., “The more the better: on the formation of single-phase high entropy alloy nanoparticles as catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction”, EES Catal. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ey00201b (primary)
3. Gludovatz et al., “A fracture-resistant high-entropy alloy for cryogenic applications”, Science 2014. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1254581 (primary)
4. Yao et al., “High-entropy nanoparticles: synthesis-structure-property relationships and data-driven discovery”, Science 2022. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abn3103 (review)

Credit: Drawn by LabCanvas after Yao et al., Science 2018 (doi:10.1126/science.aan5412); Pittkowski et al., EES Catal. 2023 (doi:10.1039/d3ey00201b); Gludovatz et al., Science 2014 (doi:10.1126/science.1254581) and Yao et al., Science 2022.

## Questions

**What does the “High-entropy alloys: five metals, one phase” template show?** A funnel-shaped graphical abstract: five metals pour into one high-entropy alloy nanoparticle, made either by a 55 ms carbothermal shock or by slowly reducing a mixed precursor. Below, what a single random solid solution buys: a bulk alloy that gets tougher in the cold, one shared fcc lattice and nanoparticle catalysts.

**What are the steps shown in “High-entropy alloys: five metals, one phase”?** 1. Five metals: HEAs are alloys of at least five elements (Pittkowski et al. 2023); configurational entropy in alloys of five or more major elements may stabilize a single solid solution (Gludovatz et al. 2014). 2. Route 1 · carbothermal shock: Metal salts on a carbon support shocked to ~2000 K for 55 ms alloy up to eight dissimilar elements into single-phase nanoparticles (Yao et al. 2018). 3. Route 2 · mixed precursor: A single-source precursor reduced in 5% H₂/Ar at 700 °C for 60 min gives single-phase PtIrOsRhRu particles; only two of eight binary mixes did (Pittkowski et al. 2023). 4. What one phase buys: CrMnFeCoNi: fcc, > 1 GPa and > 200 MPa·m½, tougher at cryogenic temperatures (Gludovatz et al. 2014); quinary HEA nanoparticles oxidize ammonia with ~100% conversion and > 99% NOx selectivity (Yao et al. 2018); PtIrOsRhRu beats Pt for oxygen reduction (Pittkowski et al. 2023).

**What are the starting materials and the product?** Starting materials: Salts or a single-source precursor of five or more metals. Product: Single-phase high-entropy alloy nanoparticles (and bulk alloys) in which the metals share one lattice at random.

**Which papers is “High-entropy alloys: five metals, one phase” based on?** Yao et al., “Carbothermal shock synthesis of high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles”, Science 2018 (doi:10.1126/science.aan5412); Pittkowski et al., “The more the better: on the formation of single-phase high entropy alloy nanoparticles as catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction”, EES Catal. 2023 (doi:10.1039/d3ey00201b); Gludovatz et al., “A fracture-resistant high-entropy alloy for cryogenic applications”, Science 2014 (doi:10.1126/science.1254581); Yao et al., “High-entropy nanoparticles: synthesis-structure-property relationships and data-driven discovery”, Science 2022 (doi:10.1126/science.abn3103).

**Can I edit the “High-entropy alloys: five metals, one phase” template?** Yes. Open it in the LabCanvas editor: all 103 layers are editable, including 3 generated objects (structures, plots, equipment) with their own settings. Change the text, colours and layout, then export PNG, TIFF, SVG or PDF.

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