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Innovations, Applications and Advances of High-Entropy Alloy Coatings
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Innovations, Applications and Advances of High-Entropy Alloy Coatings

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "High-Energy Beam Surface Engineering and Coatings".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 5008

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ádám Vida

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Guest Editor
Bay Zoltán Applied Research Foundation, Institute of Materials Science and Technology, 1116 Budapest, Hungary
Interests: HEA
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anita Heczel

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Guest Editor
Division of Materials Development, Bay Zoltan Nonprofit Ltd. for Applied Research, Budapest, Hungary
Interests: HEAs; materials characterization; XRD line profile analysis; SEM (EBSD) in materials science
Dr. Lorena Perez-Andrade

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
Interests: gas atomization; metallic alloys; materials characterization (SEM, EBSD); rapid solidification; cold spray deposition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

High-entropy alloys (HEAs), characterized by their unique multi-principal element composition, have emerged as a transformative class of materials in recent years. Unlike traditional alloys, HEAs exhibit exceptional properties such as enhanced strength, superior thermal stability, outstanding corrosion resistance, and remarkable wear performance.

These attributes position HEAs as ideal candidates for advanced coating applications, a domain where material performance is often pushed to its limits.

The utilization of HEAs as coatings offers significant potential across a wide array of industrial sectors, including aerospace, automotive, energy, and biomedical industries. Their inherent ability to resist extreme environments—such as high temperatures, aggressive chemical media, and mechanical wear—addresses critical challenges faced by traditional coating materials. Moreover, their tunable composition enables the design of coatings tailored for specific applications, fostering innovation in surface engineering.

Recent advancements in deposition techniques, such as magnetron sputtering, laser cladding, and thermal spraying, have enabled the successful fabrication of HEA coatings with controlled microstructures and properties. These developments have paved the way for systematic studies on the relationship between composition, microstructure, and performance, further advancing the field.

Despite these achievements, several challenges remain, including the high cost of raw materials, the complexity of phase stability, and the scalability of deposition methods. Addressing these issues requires interdisciplinary research, integrating materials science, surface engineering, and computational modelling.

This Special Issue aims to explore the latest developments in HEA coatings, providing a platform for the scientific community to discuss breakthroughs, challenges, and future directions. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, we strive to accelerate the adoption of HEAs in practical applications, contributing to the development of sustainable and high-performance materials for next-generation technologies.

Dr. Ádám Vida
Dr. Anita Heczel
Dr. Lorena Perez-Andrade
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • high-entropy alloys
  • additive manufacturing
  • cladding
  • surface layers
  • deposition
  • sputtering

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 21159 KB  
Article
Defect Evolution, Texture Modification, and T6 Response of LPBF AA7075 Reinforced with AlCoCrFeNi2.1 Eutectic HEA Particles
by Qiongqi Xu, Baljit Singh Bhathal Singh, Yi Zhang, Mohd Shahriman Adenan, Shengcong Zeng and Shixi Gan
Coatings 2026, 16(3), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16030370 - 15 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 517
Abstract
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of AA7075 is severely constrained by a narrow process window and susceptibility to defect formation (hot cracking and porosity), which often dominates performance. In this study, 5 wt.% AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high-entropy alloy (HEA) particles, volumetric energy density (VED [...] Read more.
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of AA7075 is severely constrained by a narrow process window and susceptibility to defect formation (hot cracking and porosity), which often dominates performance. In this study, 5 wt.% AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high-entropy alloy (HEA) particles, volumetric energy density (VED = 74–222 J·mm−3), and subsequent T6 heat treatment were systematically investigated to reveal their combined effects on defect structure, crystallographic texture/substructure, and tensile behaviour. Quantitative EBSD shows a measurable grain refinement in the as-built state (average grain size 13.44 → 11.80 µm, ~12%) accompanied by a pronounced weakening of the <001> fibre texture (maximum MRD 4.94 → 2.38), indicating disrupted epitaxial growth and a more dispersed orientation distribution. After T6, the reinforced alloy retains a higher low-angle boundary fraction (31.62% vs. 24.17% in unreinforced AA7075) and a higher kernel average misorientation (0.80° vs. 0.60°), consistent with particle-stabilised substructure retention and retarded recovery. Across all VEDs, AA7075-HEA exhibits higher microhardness (compared with AA7075, the addition of HEA increases the hardness by roughly 20–50 HV) and tensile strength, with the intermediate VED (140.74 J·mm−3, T6 states) yielding the best performance. While macroscopic cracking is not fully eliminated, the results clarify that HEA-enabled texture/substructure modifications can contribute to enhanced defect tolerance and are more effectively translated into tensile performance when the as-built defect severity is controlled. These findings provide quantitative insights into defect–microstructure–property coupling in LPBF AA7075-HEA composites from as-built to T6 states. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations, Applications and Advances of High-Entropy Alloy Coatings)
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11 pages, 6883 KB  
Article
High-Entropy Alloy Coating Produced by Laser Metal Deposition with Additional Femtosecond Laser Surface Structuring
by Márk Windisch, Gergely Juhász, Anita Heczel, József T. Szabó, Zoltán Dankházi and Ádám Vida
Coatings 2026, 16(2), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16020213 - 6 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1053
Abstract
High-entropy alloys (HEAs) represent one of the most promising emerging material families, particularly for advanced surface engineering applications. In this work, a near-high-entropy alloy (near-HEA) coating was produced on a 316L stainless steel substrate using laser metal deposition (LMD) from a powder mixture [...] Read more.
High-entropy alloys (HEAs) represent one of the most promising emerging material families, particularly for advanced surface engineering applications. In this work, a near-high-entropy alloy (near-HEA) coating was produced on a 316L stainless steel substrate using laser metal deposition (LMD) from a powder mixture of Inconel 625, Cr and Mo, without the intentional addition of Fe. Due to dilution from the substrate, the resulting alloy contained elevated Fe content while maintaining Cr, Ni and Mo concentrations within the generally accepted compositional range of HEAs. The deposited layer exhibited a dual-phase microstructure consisting of a face-centered cubic (FCC) phase and a highly distorted tetragonal phase forming a periodic network with a characteristic length scale of several hundred nanometers. The hardness of the coating increased to approximately three times that of the substrate, reaching values of 600–700 HV. To further modify the surface properties, laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) were generated on the polished coating using femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation at different energy densities. The morphology and subsurface structure of the resulting periodic patterns were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. LIPSS with characteristic dimensions ranging from the micrometer to nanometer scale were successfully produced. Cross-sectional analyses revealed that the underlying dual-phase microstructure remained continuous within the laser-structured regions, indicating that LIPSS formation occurred predominantly via metallic ablation without significant phase transformation or amorphization. These results demonstrate the combined applicability of LMD and femtosecond laser structuring for producing mechanically enhanced, micro- and nanostructured near-HEA coatings with potential for advanced surface-related functionalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations, Applications and Advances of High-Entropy Alloy Coatings)
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13 pages, 6669 KB  
Article
Microstructure and Wear Resistance of Laser Cladding + Ultrasonic Rolling High-Entropy Alloy Composite Coating on H13 Steel
by Meng Jie, Delong Jiang, Zhenxiang Qi, Lutong Cai, Yejing Zhao, Zhi Sun, Fei Zhang, Yali Gao and Shuai Zhang
Coatings 2025, 15(10), 1162; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15101162 - 4 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 928
Abstract
In order to improve the wear resistance of H13 hot work die steel, high-entropy alloy composite coatings were prepared by laser cladding technology and were subsequently subjected to ultrasonic rolling. The results showed that after ultrasonic rolling, the phases of the coatings still [...] Read more.
In order to improve the wear resistance of H13 hot work die steel, high-entropy alloy composite coatings were prepared by laser cladding technology and were subsequently subjected to ultrasonic rolling. The results showed that after ultrasonic rolling, the phases of the coatings still consisted of BCC phase, TiO2, ZrO2, and B4C. The microstructure of the coatings was the equiaxed grain; however, the grain size decreased compared with that of the laser cladding coating. Under the combined effects of fine grain strengthening and work hardening, the hardness and wear resistance of the coatings treated by ultrasonic rolling were significantly improved. Among them, the coating at 0.09 MPa exhibited the best mechanical properties, with a hardness increase of 18.7% compared with the laser cladding coating and 534.9% compared with H13. At room temperature, compared with the laser cladding coating and H13, the wear rates of the coating at 0.09 MPa were reduced by 27% and 91%, respectively. At high temperatures (350 °C, 450 °C, and 550 °C), the wear rates of the coating at 0.09 MPa were reduced by 19%, 13%, and 9% compared with the laser cladding coating, and reduced by 89%, 88%, and 87% compared with H13. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations, Applications and Advances of High-Entropy Alloy Coatings)
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18 pages, 2876 KB  
Article
Theoretical Approach of Stability and Mechanical Properties in (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x (AB = NbTa, NbMo, MoTa) Refractory High-Entropy Alloys
by Heng Luo, Yuanyuan Zhang, Zixiong Ruan, Touwen Fan, Te Hu and Hongge Yan
Coatings 2025, 15(9), 1092; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15091092 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 985
Abstract
The stability and mechanical properties of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x (AB = NbTa, NbMo, MoTa) refractory high-entropy alloys have been investigated by combining the first-principles with special quasi-random structure (SQS) method. It is found that with the increase in solute concentration x, [...] Read more.
The stability and mechanical properties of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x (AB = NbTa, NbMo, MoTa) refractory high-entropy alloys have been investigated by combining the first-principles with special quasi-random structure (SQS) method. It is found that with the increase in solute concentration x, the ΔHmix of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x (AB = NbMo, MoTa) linearly decreases, whereas both ΔHmix and ΔSmix of (TiZrHf)1−x(NbTa)x increase initially and subsequently decrease, with the crossover occurring at x = 0.56. The ΔHmix of (TiZrHf)1−x(NbTa)x and (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x (AB = NbMo, MoTa) alloys are larger and lower than that of TiZrHf, respectively, while the ΔSmix of all (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x is larger than that of TiZrHf. The formation possibility parameter Ω of all (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x (AB = NbMo, MoTa) first decreases sharply, followed by a gradual decrease. And the local lattice distortion (LLD) parameter δ remains relatively stable around x = 0.56 for all cases, after which it decreases sharply until x = 0.89. The δ value of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x is higher than that of TiZrHf for x < 0.56 but becomes lower beyond this composition. The valence electron concentration (VEC), a possible indicator for a single-phase solution, of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x increases nearly linearly, while the formation energy ΔHf of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x shows the opposite tendency, except for (TiZrHf)0.67(NbTa)0.33. Furthermore, the VEC of all (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x alloys increases, whereas their ΔHf decreases compared to that of TiZrHf. The ideal strength σp of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x increases linearly, reaching approximately 2.12 GPa. The bulk modulus (B), elastic modulus (E), and shear modulus (G) also exhibit linear increases, and their values in all (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x alloys are higher than those of TiZrHf, with some exceptions. The Cauchy pressure (C12–C44) and Pugh’s ratio G/B of all (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x alloys increase, whereas the Poisson’s ratio ν exhibits the opposite trend. Moreover, the C12–C44 and G/B ratio of TiZrHf are lower and higher, respectively, than those of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x, and the ν of TiZrHf is lower than that of (TiZrHf)1−x(AB)x. This study provides valuable insights for the design of high-performance TiZrHf-based refractory high-entropy alloys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations, Applications and Advances of High-Entropy Alloy Coatings)
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14 pages, 2126 KB  
Article
Influence of Cooling Methods on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of TiB2@Ti/AlCoCrFeNi2.1 Eutectic High-Entropy Alloy Matrix Composites
by Fuqiang Guo, Yajun Zhou, Yayun Shao, Qinggang Jiang and Bo Ren
Coatings 2025, 15(9), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15091002 - 29 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 886
Abstract
The present study focused on 10 wt.% TiB2@Ti/AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy matrix composites (EHEAMCs), which were treated with furnace cooling (FC), air cooling (AC), and water cooling (WC) after being held at 1000 °C for 12 h, aiming to investigate [...] Read more.
The present study focused on 10 wt.% TiB2@Ti/AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy matrix composites (EHEAMCs), which were treated with furnace cooling (FC), air cooling (AC), and water cooling (WC) after being held at 1000 °C for 12 h, aiming to investigate the effect of cooling methods on their microstructure and mechanical properties. The results showed that the composites in all states consisted of FCC phase, BCC phase, TiB2 phase, and Ti phase. The cooling methods did not change the phase types but affected the diffraction peak characteristics. With the increase in cooling rate, the diffraction peaks of FCC and BCC phases gradually separated from overlapping, and the diffraction peak of the FCC (111) crystal plane shifted to a lower angle (due to the increase in lattice constant caused by Ti element diffusion), while the diffraction peak intensity showed a downward trend. In terms of microstructure, all composites under the three cooling conditions were composed of eutectic matrix, solid solution zone, and grain boundary zone. The cooling rate had little effect on the morphology but significantly affected the element distribution. During slow cooling (FC, AC), Ti and B diffused sufficiently from the grain boundary to the matrix, resulting in higher concentrations of Ti and B in the matrix (Ti in FCC phase: 7.4 at.%, B in BCC phase: 8.1 at.% in FC state). During rapid cooling (WC), diffusion was inhibited, leading to lower concentrations in the matrix (Ti in FCC phase: 4.6 at.%, B in BCC phase: 4.3 at.%), but the element distribution was more uniform. Mechanical properties decreased with the increase in cooling rate: the FC state showed the optimal average hardness (627.0 ± 26.1 HV), yield strength (1574 MPa), fracture strength (2824 MPa), and fracture strain (24.2%); the WC state had the lowest performance (hardness: 543.2 ± 35.4 HV and yield strength: 1401 MPa) but was still better than the as-sintered state. Solid solution strengthening was the main mechanism, and slow cooling promoted element diffusion to enhance lattice distortion, achieving the synergistic improvement of strength and plasticity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations, Applications and Advances of High-Entropy Alloy Coatings)
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