Researchers from the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Beijing Institute of Technology have recently achieved a significant milestone in the exploration of the adiabatic shear mechanism in coherent nanoprecipitate-strengthened high-entropy alloys. Their groundbreaking findings, titled "Novel Mechanism of Ultra-High Adiabatic Shear Susceptibility in FCC-Based High-Entropy Alloys via High-Content Nanoprecipitate Dissolution," have been published in Acta Materialia, a prestigious journal in the field of metallic materials. This study unveils a novel adiabatic shear failure mechanism in high-entropy alloys, known as the dissolution-softening mechanism.

This innovative mechanism involves the local strain concentration and the induction of shear instability through the deformation mismatch between high-density nanoprecipitates and the matrix phase. During dynamic deformation, the local temperature rise due to deformation triggers the instantaneous dissolution of the precipitate-strengthened phase, resulting in a sharp decrease in local shear strength and accelerating the formation and propagation of shear bands. This discovery offers fresh perspectives for the design of alloys that exhibit high strength and ductility, excellent work hardening ability, and heightened adiabatic shear susceptibility.