On the thermal and mechanical properties of Mg$_{0.2}$Co$_{0.2}$Ni$_{0.2}$Cu$_{0.2}$Zn$_{0.2}$O across the high-entropy to entropy-stabilized transition

TL;DR

This study investigates how the thermal and mechanical properties of a specific high-entropy oxide change across its phase transition, revealing constant thermal conductivity but increased thermal expansion and softening.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental insights into property variations of Mg$_{0.2}$Co$_{0.2}$Ni$_{0.2}$Cu$_{0.2}$Zn$_{0.2}$O across the high-entropy to entropy-stabilized phase boundary.

Findings

Thermal conductivity remains constant (~2.5 W/mK) across the transition.

Thermal expansion coefficient increases by 24%.

Mechanical softening occurs across the phase boundary.

Abstract

As various property studies continue to emerge on high entropy and entropy-stabilized ceramics, we seek further understanding of property changes across the phase boundary between \enquote{high-entropy} and \enquote{entropy-stabilized}. The thermal and mechanical properties of bulk ceramic entropy stabilized oxide composition Mg$_{0.2}$Co$_{0.2}$Ni$_{0.2}$Cu$_{0.2}$Zn$_{0.2}$O are investigated across this critical transition temperature via the transient plane-source method, temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction, and nano-indentation. Thermal conductivity remains constant within uncertainty across the multi-to-single phase transition at a value of ~2.5 W/mK, while the linear coefficient of thermal expansion increases nearly 24 % from 10.8 to 14.1 x 10$^{-6}$ K$^{-1}$. Mechanical softening is also observed across the transition.