Microwave sintered porous CoCrFeNiMo high entropy alloy as an efficient electrocatalyst for alkaline oxygen evolution reaction

Developing efficient,stable and economical electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is a significant pathway to produce clean energy from water splitting.Herein,the promising and highly efficient porous CoCrFeNiMo high entropy alloys(HEAs)were prepared by microwave sintering using Mg space holder.Owing to unique properties of high entropy alloys and abundant active surface area,the porous CoCrFeNiMo-20 Mg exhibits excellent catalytic performance and prominent electrochemical stability with a low overpotential of 220 mV to reach current density of 10 mA cm^(-2),a small Tafel slope of 59.0 mV dec^(-1) and long-term durability for 24 h in 1.0 M KOH.The results of microstructure and element states indicate that crystal defects,porous structure and villous hydroxides are the reasons for high OER performance of the CoCrFeNiMo.This work not only provides a new way to prepare electrocatalysts,but also proves the important application of high entropy alloys in functional materials.

Solidification pathway and phase transformation behavior in a beta-solidified gamma-TiAl based alloy

The phase transformation behavior of an as-cast Ti-42Al-5 Mn(at.%)alloy after subsequent quenching from 1380℃to 1000℃was investigated based on the differential thermal analysis(DTA),electron probe micro analyzer-backscattered electrons(EPMA-BSE),transmission electron microscope(TEM)and X-ray diffraction(XRD).The results show that,the solidification path can be summarized as follows:Liquid→Liquid+β→β→β→α→β+α+γ→βo+α2+γ→βo+γ+α2/γ→βo+γ+α2/γ+βo,sec,with the phase transformationα→βtemperature(Tβ)=1311℃,phase transformationγ→βtemperature of(Tγsolv)=1231℃,phase transformationα2→αorβo→βtemperature(Tα2→α/Tβo→β)=1168 C,eutectoid temperature(Teut)=1132℃and T(α2/γ→βo,sec)≈1120℃.In comparison with Ti-42 Al alloy,the Teut and Tγsolv are slightly increased while both the Tp is decreased obviously by 5%Mn addition.When quenched from the temperature of 1380-1260℃,the martensitic transformationβ→α'could occur to form the needlelike martensite structure inβarea.This kind of martensitic structure is much obvious with the increase of temperature from 1260℃to 1380℃.When the temperature is below Tγsolv(1231℃),theγgrains would nucleate directly from theβphase.For the temperature slightly lower than T(eut)(1132℃),the dottedβ(o,sec)phases could nucleate in the lamellar colonies besides theγlamellae precipitated withinα2 phase.Finally,at room-temperature(RT),the alloy exhibits(po+α2+γ)triple phase with microstructure ofβo+lamellae+γ,of which the lamellar structure consists ofα2,γandβo,sec phases.The phase transformation mechanisms in this alloy,involvingβ→α',β→γ,α2→α2/γandα2→βo,sec were discussed.