Daniel Miracle | Searcharxiv

arXiv2026

Chemical short-range order controls deformation pathways in a complex concentrated alloy

Chemical short-range order (CSRO) is an intrinsic feature of complex concentrated alloys (CCAs), yet its influence on deformation mechanisms is controversial because of the inconclusive state of concurrent CSRO quantification during deformation. Here, we provide experimental evidence that CSRO acts as an intrinsic thermodynamic state variable governing stacking-fault energetics and deformation pathways in a Co30Cr40Ni30 alloy. By comparing quenched (CSRO-lean) and aged (CSRO-enriched) conditions with equivalent grain structure and phase constitution, we isolate the influence of atomic-scale chemical ordering on mechanical behavior. Calorimetry confirms reversible CSRO formation, while synchrotron X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy reveal that CSRO suppresses deformation-induced fcc-hcp martensitic transformation at both room and cryogenic temperatures. Despite differences in transformation dynamics, the macroscopic tensile response is still broadly similar. Atomistic simulations show that CSRO increases both stable and unstable stacking-fault energies, raising the energetic barrier for partial-dislocation activity and stabilizing the fcc lattice against transformation. Together, the experimental and computational results establish CSRO as an added degree of freedom for tuning stacking-fault energetics and controlling deformation pathways in complex concentrated alloys.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Direct Observation of Chemical Short-Range Order in CoCrNi Alloy Using Neutron Diffraction

This study provides experimental evidence of chemical short-range order (CSRO) in the equiatomic CoCrNi alloy, identified through neutron diffraction. The phenomenon manifests as a distinct diffuse peak at Q = 1.85 A-1, the intensity increases under thermodynamically favorable conditions for CSRO development such as prolonged aging (100 h and 240 h) at 748 K or shorter aging (24 h) at slightly higher temperature (798 K). The degree of ordering was measured by integrating the diffuse scattering intensity, revealing that the gas-atomized sample, i.e. the sample with the least amount of CSRO, still displays approximately 70% of the CSRO level observed in the sample subsequently aged for 240 h at 748 K, i.e. the sample with the highest amount of CSRO produced in this study. Predictive atomistic simulations reproduced both the presence and position of the diffuse peak, while two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (FT-2D) analyses indicated that reflections at (1 1/2 0) within the <001> zone axis originate from some structural projections associated with like D022, Pt2Mo and D1a motifs. Complementary small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements identified Ni-rich, disk-shaped domains with radii of approximately 11 A and thicknesses of about 1 A, consistent with nanoscale CSRO characteristic length scale. These findings demonstrate that CSRO is an intrinsic and energetically favorable feature of the CoCrNi system, remaining stable even under rapid solidification and further enhanced by low-temperature aging. Combined use of neutron diffraction and atomistic modeling provides a framework for probing local ordering phenomena in multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs).

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗