Single-phase solid-solution refractory high-entropy alloys (HEAs) show remarkable mechanical properties, such as their high yield strength and substantial softening resistance at elevated temperatures. Hence, the in-depth study of the deformation behavior for body-centered cubic (BCC) refractory HEAs is a critical issue to explore the uncovered/unique deformation mechanisms. We have investigated the elastic and plastic deformation behaviors of a single BCC NbTaTiV refractory HEA at elevated temperatures using integrated experimental efforts and theoretical calculations. The in situ neutron diffraction results reveal a temperature-dependent elastic anisotropic deformation behavior. The single-crystal elastic moduli and macroscopic Young’s, shear, and bulk moduli were determined from the in situ neutron diffraction, showing great agreement with first-principles calculations, machine learning, and resonant ultrasound spectroscopy results. Furthermore, the edge dislocation–dominant plastic deformation behaviors, which are different from conventional BCC alloys, were quantitatively described by the Williamson-Hall plot profile modeling and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy.
Severe distortion is one of the four core effects in single‐phase high‐entropy alloys (HEAs) and contributes significantly to the yield strength. However, the connection between the atomic‐scale lattice distortion and macro‐scale mechanical properties through experimental verification has yet to be fully achieved, owing to two critical challenges: 1) the difficulty in the development of homogeneous single‐phase solid‐solution HEAs and 2) the ambiguity in describing the lattice distortion and related measurements and calculations. A single‐phase body‐centered‐cubic (BCC) refractory HEA, NbTaTiVZr, using thermodynamic modeling coupled with experimental verifications, is developed. Compared to the previously developed single‐phase NbTaTiV HEA, the NbTaTiVZr HEA shows a higher yield strength and comparable plasticity. The increase in yield strength is systematically and quantitatively studied in terms of lattice distortion using a theoretical model, first‐principles calculations, synchrotron X‐ray/neutron diffraction, atom‐probe tomography, and scanning transmission electron microscopy techniques. These results demonstrate that severe lattice distortion is a core factor for developing high strengths in refractory HEAs.
Transition metal dichalcogenide-based quantum dots are promising materials for applications in diverse fields, such as sensors, electronics, catalysis, and biomedicine, because of their outstanding physicochemical properties. In this study, we propose bio-imaging characteristics through utilizing water-soluble MoS2 quantum dots (MoS2-QDs) with two different sizes (i.e., ~5 and ~10 nm). The structural and optical properties of the fabricated metallic phase MoS2-QDs (m-MoS2-QDs) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, and photoluminescence. The synthesized m-MoS2-QDs showed clear photophysical characteristic peaks derived from the quantum confinement effect and defect sites, such as oxygen functional groups. When the diameter of the synthesized m-MoS2-QD was decreased, the emission peak was blue-shifted from 436 to 486 nm under excitation by a He-Cd laser (325 nm). Density functional theory calculations confirmed that the size decrease of m-MoS2-QDs led to an increase in the bandgap because of quantum confinement effects. In addition, when incorporated into the bio-imaging of HeLa cells, m-MoS2-QDs were quite biocompatible with bright luminescence and exhibited low toxicity. Our results are commercially applicable for achieving high-performance bio-imaging probes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.