High-entropy alloy nanoparticles made with 17 different metals

Multi-element nanoparticles can now be made with a more diverse array of metals, thanks to a new technique developed by researchers in China. These materials could find use in a wide range of applications due to their interesting and tuneable electronic, chemical and physical properties.

Over the last two decades, there has been growing interest in creating high-entropy alloys – materials made of multiple metallic elements. By mixing elements with different characteristics, researchers hope to discover materials with interesting new properties – for example, they might work more as better catalysts under environmentally-friendly conditions.