Structure motif of chemical short-range order in a medium-entropy alloy

The chemical short-range orders (CSRO) are the sub-nanosized entities inherent in high-/medium-entropy alloys (H/MEA). To discern CSRO poses the challenge with pending issues as to under what zone axis in electron diffraction, signature scattering specific to CSRO will appear and what the structure motif of CSRO is. Here, we show extra diffuse scattering by CSRO from [111] and [112] directions in a VCoNi MEA and accordingly, construct the L1(1)-type structure motif, and derive the spacial shape of flat cuboid of CSRO in virtue of diffractions under varying zone axis. Moreover, we demonstrate the methods to identify CSRO in lattice images. [GRAPHICS] IMPACT STATEMENT The structure motif is constructed as L1(1) -type for chemical short-range order in a medium-entropy alloy in terms of electron diffractions under the multiple zone axis.

Automated summary

In this study, we observed extra diffuse scattering from CSRO in the [111] and [112] directions in a VCoNi MEA using electron diffraction. We successfully constructed the L1(1)-type structure motif for CSRO and derived the flat cuboid spatial shape of CSRO through diffractions under different zone axis. Furthermore, we demonstrated methods to identify CSRO in lattice images.