Xiao Yang , De Yang , Hai Huang , Shubang Wang , Zehai Zhang , Zhimin Liang , Liwei Wang , Zhenzhen Peng , Ying Liu , Dianlong Wang
{"title":"Root inspired in situ interlocked interface for strength and ductility combination of refractory high-entropy alloys/Ni composites by activated sintering","authors":"Xiao Yang , De Yang , Hai Huang , Shubang Wang , Zehai Zhang , Zhimin Liang , Liwei Wang , Zhenzhen Peng , Ying Liu , Dianlong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148500","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148500","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work proposed a simple bionic-inspired strategy to in situ construct a root-like interfacial interlocked structure in the refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEA) particle-reinforced Ni matrix composites by activated sintering. The results showed that at the RHEA-Ni interface, Ni element preferred to aggregate inside the RHEA near the interface by grain boundaries (GBs) wetting and far away from the interface by GBs prewetting. Subsequently, the Ni-rich liquid-like film crystallized into Ni<sub>3</sub>(Ta, Nb), Ni<sub>2</sub>(Ta, Nb) phases due to relatively low Gibbs free energy change (Δ<em>G</em>) and high diffusion rate, in situ forming root-like interlocked structure anchored on the RHEA particle. At the root-like interlocked interface, the Ni-Ta intermetallic compounds (IMCs) and BCC phase, serving as alternating hard and soft oriented phases, enhance the interlocked interface hardness and elastic modulus. The finite element method proved that the root-like interlocked structure reduced the demand for interfacial reaction layer strength and the degree of interfacial stress concentration. Compared to the pure Ni bulk, the 10 vol% RHEA/Ni composite obtains 41.8 % and 93.4 % in ultimate tensile strength (UTS) to 509 MPa and yield strength (YS) to 205 MPa, respectively, while maintaining an acceptable elongation of 15.8 %. This work offers a novel approach to in situ synthesize the bionic configuration interface structure for the enhanced interfacial bonding and optimized interfacial stress distribution of the Ni matrix composites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148500"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaolian Xue , Yao Ou , Hai Chang , Weihao Wang , Yingna Wu , Zhenbo Zhang , Zirong Zhai , Rui Yang
{"title":"Fracture toughness enhancement of a laser powder bed fusion manufactured Ti-55511 alloy with a heat-treatment-tailored hierarchical microstructure","authors":"Xiaolian Xue , Yao Ou , Hai Chang , Weihao Wang , Yingna Wu , Zhenbo Zhang , Zirong Zhai , Rui Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148504","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148504","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Near-β titanium alloy Ti–5Al–5Mo–5V–1Cr–1Fe (Ti-55511), fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), typically exhibits heterogeneous microstructures characterized by strongly textured columnar prior-β grains. These anisotropic microstructures often lead to reduced fracture resistance during crack growth, limiting its potential for high-performance applications. To address this challenge, a novel three-step heat treatment was developed, comprising solution treatment near the β transus temperature, followed by a double-stage aging process. This tailored heat treatment not only refined the microstructure but also induced the formation of a hierarchical α phase structure, characterized by uniformly distributed tertiary α phases within equiaxed β grains. Specifically, the LPBF-fabricated Ti-55511 samples demonstrated an excellent combination of mechanical properties, including a yield strength exceeding 1100 MPa, ductility greater than 10 %, and fracture toughness exceeding 72.9 ± 3.9 MPa m<sup>1</sup>/<sup>2</sup>. This study elucidated the mechanisms by which multi-stage heat treatments govern the formation of nano-scale secondary α phases (width ∼ 50 nm), sub-micron α phases (width ∼ 500 nm), and primary α phases (width ∼ 1 μm), creating a hierarchical microstructure that enhances both strength and toughness. The observed improvements in fracture toughness were attributed to the optimized distribution of α phases, which effectively suppressed crack propagation by promoting crack deflection and bridging mechanisms. This work provides new insights into the relationship between hierarchical microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior in LPBF-processed Ti-55511 alloys, offering a promising pathway for enhancing the fracture resistance of additively manufactured titanium alloys.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148504"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xu Li , Wengang Bu , Kaiju Lu , Yuyang Gao , Jie Wang , Zhiyuan Jing , Yongxiong Chen , Bin Jiang , Xiubing Liang
{"title":"Rugged dislocation slip energy landscape and coordinated activation of multi-slip systems enable superior strength-ductility synergy in TiVZrNbAl(Mo) lightweight multi-principal element alloys","authors":"Xu Li , Wengang Bu , Kaiju Lu , Yuyang Gao , Jie Wang , Zhiyuan Jing , Yongxiong Chen , Bin Jiang , Xiubing Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148498","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148498","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Refractory multi-principal element alloys (RMPEAs) possess exceptional yield strengths in the gigapascal range, positioning them as promising candidates for extreme service environments. However, their high density and limited tensile ductility at room temperature restrict their processability and industrial applicability. This study designed a series of lightweight RMPEAs with nominal compositions of (Ti<sub>50</sub>V<sub>20</sub>Zr<sub>12</sub>Nb<sub>12</sub>Al<sub>6</sub>)<sub>100-x</sub>Mo<sub>x</sub> (x = 0, 2.5, 5). Microstructural analysis revealed that the Mo-free M0 and 2.5 at.% Mo-doped M2.5 alloys develop a BCC1/BCC2 dual-phase modulated structure through spinodal decomposition (SD), achieving an exceptional strength-ductility synergy. Their yield strengths of 952 MPa and 1056 MPa and fracture elongations of 28.8 % and 22.6 %, respectively, surpass most reported RMPEAs and commercial titanium alloys. In contrast, the 5 at.% Mo-doped M5 alloy experiences severe ductility loss due to excessive C-14 Laves phase precipitation and restricted dislocation slip. The superior yield strength originates from significant atomic-size and modulus mismatches, while the enhanced ductility results from a deformation mechanism dominated by non-screw dislocations with edge character and the activation of multiple slip systems. This behavior is attributed to the rugged energy landscape induced by SD and lattice distortion, which increases dislocation glide resistance and shifts deformation from screw-to non-screw-type dislocation dominance. Additionally, the minimal unstable stacking fault energy differences (γ<sub>USF</sub> < 5 %) between {110} <111> and {112} <111> slip systems promote sequential multi-slip activation. This enhances strain hardening, delays plastic instability, and broadens the plastic deformation regime. This study provides a new paradigm for designing lightweight, strong RMPEAs, advancing their potential in structural applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148498"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Strength-plasticity synergy of deformed Ti2AlC particles in aluminum matrix composites via interlayer slip","authors":"Yue Sun , Gaohui Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148488","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148488","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we focus on clarifying the synergistic mechanism of strength and plasticity of deformed particles on aluminum matrix composites. Ti<sub>2</sub>AlC reinforcement was selected to prepare deformed particle reinforced composites with different contents by spark plasma sintering and hot extrusion process. The composite with preferred orientation and optimal addition of Ti<sub>2</sub>AlC particles demonstrates a tensile strength of 252 MPa with 15 % tensile strain, showing a good balance of strength and plasticity. The Kernel Average Misorientation (KAM) maps obtained by Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) analysis shows that high-angle misorientation is mainly distributed inside the Ti<sub>2</sub>AlC, indicating that the deformation is concentrated in the particles. With the increase of particle content, the geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) density estimated by the KAM values gradually increases, revealing that deformation of particles promotes dislocation strengthening. The deformed surface morphology reveals that the Ti<sub>2</sub>AlC particle is mainly deformed by interlayer sliding, and the texture of Ti<sub>2</sub>AlC has a close influence on the particle fracture behavior. In addition, the strengthening mechanisms of load transfer, grain refinement and dislocation are discussed for composites under different volume fractions to analyze the improvement of yield strength. The results demonstrate that dislocation strengthening caused by particle deformation dominates at low content, and the effect of grain refinement strengthening becomes equally significant at high content. The strength-plasticity synergistic effect of composites mainly makes full use of the deformation ability of Ti<sub>2</sub>AlC particles and promotes the synergistic effect of multiple strengthening mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148488"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Decheng Kong , Xuexu Xu , Xiaoqing Ni , Guoliang Zhu , Chaofang Dong
{"title":"On the strain and strain-rate hardenability of additively manufactured austenitic stainless steels","authors":"Decheng Kong , Xuexu Xu , Xiaoqing Ni , Guoliang Zhu , Chaofang Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dislocation cells (DCs) are peculiar substructures frequently observed in plastically deformed (PD) and additively manufactured (AM) metals and alloys, and the latter typically exhibit visible elemental segregation along the DC boundaries. This work comparatively analyzes the DC effects on the strain-hardening and strain-rate hardening capabilities of PD and AM austenitic stainless steels (ASSs). The findings suggest that the presence of Cr/Mo-decorated DCs contributes to superior yield strength and admirable mechanical stability for AM ASSs. However, the high critical stress required for deformation twinning leads to a decreased twinning ability, resulting in lower strain hardening capability for AM ASSs compared to PD counterparts. Additionally, micron-sized DCs significantly enhance the strain-rate hardening capability of the AM parts by reducing the dislocation-free path. The inherent DC substructure of these AM materials demonstrates promising energy-absorption performance under extreme-speed deformation conditions, particularly combined with intricate structural design advantages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148499"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abdul Wahid Shah , Kang Wang , Jabir Ali Siddique , Javid Hussain , Wenfang Li
{"title":"Explainable machine learning for predicting tensile properties of aluminum alloys in the laser powder bed fusion process","authors":"Abdul Wahid Shah , Kang Wang , Jabir Ali Siddique , Javid Hussain , Wenfang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148482","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148482","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid solidification and unique thermal gradients inherent to the laser powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M) process limit the suitability of conventional aluminum (Al) alloys, necessitating the optimization of existing alloys or the development of new compositions to achieve the desired tensile properties while ensuring good processability. Experimental exploration of alloy compositions is labor-intensive, costly, and time-consuming. Machine learning (ML) offers a cost-effective, flexible approach to streamline alloy design and accelerate advancements in AM technologies. This study introduces a data-driven predictive framework for predicting tensile properties of Al alloys for PBF-LB/M. To address the limited data on LPBF of Al alloys and the restricted range of alloy systems investigated, data of conventional Al alloys (including cast and wrought alloys) and laser-directed energy deposition (DED-LB/M) built Al alloys were also included, alongside PBF-LB/M data. The dataset incorporates a comprehensive pool of features such as alloy composition, processing parameters, grain size, and elemental properties. The Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) with feature importance-based feature selection was implemented to balance model complexity and accuracy via reducing the dimensionality and overfitting. The resulting ML framework demonstrates excellent predictive accuracy and generalizability, successfully extending its applicability to unseen alloy systems. This framework offers a reliable tool for optimizing Al alloy designs, significantly reducing reliance on costly experimental trials. The inclusion of Explainable AI provided detailed interpretability, elucidating the influence of individual features on model predictions, ensuring the predictions were scientifically grounded.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148482"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
X.T. Wang , J. Cheng , H.H. Hassanzai , Y.Y. Hu , T.R. Xu , X.Y. Song , W.L. Zhao , Y.J. Ma , Z.H. Cao , S. Wu , J.B. Hu
{"title":"Enhanced strain rate hardening and phase transformation in body-centered cubic medium entropy alloy under dynamic deformation","authors":"X.T. Wang , J. Cheng , H.H. Hassanzai , Y.Y. Hu , T.R. Xu , X.Y. Song , W.L. Zhao , Y.J. Ma , Z.H. Cao , S. Wu , J.B. Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we have studied the mechanical properties and microstructural evolution of Zr<sub>50</sub>Ti<sub>35</sub>Nb<sub>15</sub> body-centered cubic (bcc) medium-entropy alloy under dynamic loading. The yield strength increases approximately one-fold from 547 MPa to 995 MPa by increasing the quasistatic strain rates to the dynamic one, indicating a strong strain rate hardening. Furthermore, the strain rate sensitivity under dynamic loading is 0.099, which is eight times higher than that of quasistatic loading. Phase transformation from bcc to face-centered orthorhombic <em>α″</em> occurs in the alloy after dynamic loading instead of quasistatic loading, and the volume of <em>α″</em> phase increases with strain rates. The strong phonon drag effect and lattice friction enhance the resistance to dislocation motion under dynamic deformation, resulting in remarkable increase in yield strength. Moreover, the reduced activation volume due to local stress fluctuation and increased phase interface resulting from increasing strain rate are responsible for the high strain rate sensitivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148481"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wenzhe Li , Feng Qian , Chun Guo , Shiwei Pan , Yaojian Liang , Shun Xu , Xingwang Cheng
{"title":"Optimizing TiB2 inoculation strategies to achieve isotropic properties in AA6061 fabricated by interlayer-paused additive manufacturing","authors":"Wenzhe Li , Feng Qian , Chun Guo , Shiwei Pan , Yaojian Liang , Shun Xu , Xingwang Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148490","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148490","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Additive manufacturing (AM) has become an important technology for producing metallic parts, but the ultrafast solidification often triggers coarse columnar grains and severe hot cracking. Our previous work demonstrated that an appropriate interlayer pause (IP) strategy during laser melting deposition (LMD) can effectively alleviate hot cracking. However, the grains remain textured and filiform, leading to anisotropic mechanical properties. Building on the established optimal IP, this study introduces and optimizes TiB<sub>2</sub> inoculation strategies for the LMD-fabricated AA6061. We found 2 wt% nano-TiB<sub>2</sub> inoculation combining IP successfully achieves isotropic high strength and ductility (longitudinal: 301 ± 3 MPa, 8 ± 2 %; transverse direction: 310 ± 5 MPa, 7 ± 1 %). In contrast, 6 wt% nano-TiB<sub>2</sub> inoculation and 2 wt% micro-TiB<sub>2</sub> inoculation under the same IP yield inferior properties characterized by evident anisotropy. Microstructural investigations reveal the 2 wt% nano-TiB<sub>2</sub> inoculation combining IP promotes a dense and uniform distribution of nano-TiB<sub>2</sub> inoculants, which helps to eliminate cracks and results in an ultra-fine equiaxed microstructure. Conversely, excessive inoculation of 6 wt% nano-TiB<sub>2</sub> leads to severe particle agglomeration, forming large TiB<sub>2</sub> clusters. Similarly, with 2 wt% micro-TiB<sub>2</sub> inoculation, numerous oversized TiB<sub>2</sub> inoculants are observed. Consequently, both inoculation strategies can impair metallurgical bonding and re-induce various metallurgical defects, such as cracks. Furthermore, they can limit the efficiency of columnar to equiaxed transformation (CET), resulting in a relatively coarse microstructure consisting of partially columnar grains. We anticipate that the design strategy developed in this work can be extended beyond Al alloys to achieve isotropic mechanical performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148490"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhen Li , Jinglong Tang , Jie Su , Yingzhe Li , Zhen Luo
{"title":"In situ nano-oxides and magnetic field engineering enable exceptional strength-ductility synergy in additively manufactured AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloys","authors":"Zhen Li , Jinglong Tang , Jie Su , Yingzhe Li , Zhen Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148486","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148486","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Eutectic high-entropy alloys (EHEAs), exemplified by AlCoCrFeNi<sub>2.1</sub>, offer a promising pathway for developing alloys with exceptional strength–ductility synergy due to their unique microstructural features and deformation mechanisms. Building on these characteristics, this study proposes a strengthening and toughening strategy for additively manufactured AlCoCrFeNi<sub>2.1</sub> EHEA by integrating in situ nanometer-scale oxides with the assistance of a magnetic field. The results indicate that the application of a magnetic field refines the columnar grain width (reducing it by 44.9 %), weakens the texture intensity, but increases the dislocation density of the alloy. The external magnetic field does not alter the types of microstructures (FCC/L1<sub>2</sub> phase, BCC/B<sub>2</sub> phase, and nanometer-scale oxides); however, it refines the lamellar spacing, eliminates non-lamellar regions, and increases the volume fractions of the BCC/B<sub>2</sub> phase and nanometer-scale oxides. These microstructural evolutions activate multiple strengthening and toughening mechanisms. Consequently, the application of an external magnetic field enhances both the tensile strength and elongation, reaching 1591 MPa and 23.5 %, respectively, thereby achieving an outstanding strength–ductility synergy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"938 ","pages":"Article 148486"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jianping Qu , Yu-Ping Xu , Jinchuan Jie , Hai-Shan Zhou , Guang-Nan Luo , Tingju Li
{"title":"Significant improvement in creep resistance of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys induced by trace Si","authors":"Jianping Qu , Yu-Ping Xu , Jinchuan Jie , Hai-Shan Zhou , Guang-Nan Luo , Tingju Li","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148485","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148485","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To adapt to harsher fusion circumstance, it is of great importance to develop a new generation of Cu-Cr-Zr-X alloy with good creep resistance for divertor in DEMO or CFETR. In this paper, the effects of Si addition on microstructural evolution and creep behavior of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy was investigated under varying applied stresses (50–150 MPa) at 450 °C and 550 °C. The present results reveal that the steady-state creep rate of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys ranges from 10<sup>−10</sup> to 10<sup>−9</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at 450 °C and from 10<sup>−8</sup> to 10<sup>−6</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at 550 °C under varying stresses. In comparison, Si-containing alloys maintain a steady-state creep rate of 10<sup>−10</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at 450 °C and span only two orders of magnitude, ranging from 10<sup>−9</sup> to 10<sup>−8</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at 550 °C. In addition, the creep life of alloys containing Si is significantly higher than that of alloys without Si under identical conditions. This suggests that the creep resistance of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy can be enhanced by adding Si, primarily due to the synergistic effect of nano-sized Cr precipitates, which exhibit limited growth and stable Cr<sub>3</sub>Si intermetallic phase. These features help pin dislocation and grain boundaries, thereby obstructing their motion. This work provides theoretical guidance for the development of new creep-resistant alloys for use in the fusion field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148485"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}