MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Composite descriptor for screening mechanical properties in high-entropy diborides

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  • a Nano and Heterogeneous Materials Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China;

    b State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China;

    c School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213022, China

Online published: 2026-01-29

Abstract

The composition−property relationship of 18 quaternary high entropy diborides (HEBs) consisting of boron and IVB, VB and VIB transition metals (TM) was investigated using first-principles calculations. A valence electron concentration−relative electronegativity (VEC−REN) composite descriptor was developed to effectively predict the mechanical properties of HEBs. The results demonstrate that with a fixed VEC, the rise of the REN makes HEBs harder but more brittle when the electronegativity of doped TM atoms is lower than that of boron atoms. However, HEBs become softer and more ductile as REN increases if the doped TM atoms have higher electronegativity than boron atoms. The VEC−REN composite descriptor can accurately classify and predict the mechanical properties of HEBs with different components, which provides important theoretical guidance for the rapid design and development of novel high-entropy ceramic materials.

Cite this article

Yong FAN, Jin-feng NIE, Jin WANG, Zhi-gang DING, Wei LIU, Yong-hao ZHAO . Composite descriptor for screening mechanical properties in high-entropy diborides[J]. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2026 , 36(1) : 218 -230 . DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(25)66959-7

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