A research team led by Professors JIANG Fengchun from the Materials Science and Engineering discipline at Harbin Engineering University (HEU) has recently achieved a major breakthrough in the additive manufacturing of refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs). The team proposed a novel strategy known as “additive manufacturing-induced active edge dislocation strengthening,” successfully producing a refractory high-entropy alloy that combines high strength with good ductility. This advancement offers a new approach for the rapid fabrication of high-performance RHEAs and lays the material foundation for their use in extreme high-temperature environments such as aero-engines and nuclear reactors.
The findings were published in the internationally renowned journal Nature Communications under the title “Intrinsic edge dislocations promote high-temperature strength and ductility in additively manufactured refractory high-entropy alloys.” Professor GUO Chunhuan and doctoral candidate JIAO Bo from the College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering are co-first authors. Professor JIANG Fengchun from Yantai Research Institute serves as the corresponding lead author, with Harbin Engineering University as the primary affiliation. This collaborative work involved HEU, Tianmushan Laboratory, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and the University of California, Berkeley. It marks the first time a paper on metallic materials from HEU has been published in Nature Communications, positioning HEU’s research in metallic structural materials and additive manufacturing at the international frontier.
Fabrication methods, mechanical properties, and edge dislocation strengthening mechanisms of refractory high-entropy alloys
Nature Communications, first launched in 2010, is a comprehensive scientific journal under the Nature Portfolio covering all academic fields. It focuses on impactful research across various disciplines and is highly regarded by scholars worldwide. The journal is classified as a Top Tier journal in CAS Zone 1, with an impact factor of 15.7 in 2025.
Original article link:
Intrinsic edge dislocations promote high-temperature strength and ductility in additively manufactured refractory high-entropy alloys | Nature Communications
