High-entropy alloys as an irradiation-resistant material: A review

Future nuclear energy systems will require materials that can withstand higher irradiation damage, higher temperatures, and more corrosive environments than current technologies. One such solution is high-entropy alloys (HEAs), which consist of multiple principal elements in equimolar or near-equimolar ratios. The relatively higher number of principal elements results in compositional complexity that can decrease defect mobility and alter energy dissipation processes, resulting in high irradiation resistance. The higher irradiation resistance, when combined with their desirable properties such as high strength and corrosion resistance, make HEAs potential candidates for future nuclear energy applications. The overarching goal of this chapter is to provide the reader with a brief overview on irradiation effects in HEAs. The first part of this chapter gives a discussion on some fundamental aspects of irradiation materials science. The next section provides a review on studies involving the ion and neutron irradiation of HEAs. The final portion of the chapter summarizes the overall results of these studies and suggests some future research directions.