Direct observation of deformation and resistance to damage accumulation during shock loading of stabilized nanocrystalline Cu-Ta alloys.

Energy absorption by matter is fundamental to natural and man-made processes. However, despite this ubiquity, developing materials capable of withstanding severe energy fluxes without degradation is a significant challenge in materials science and engineering. Despite recent advances in creating alloys resistant to energy fluxes, mitigating the damage caused by the absorption and transfer of mechanical energy remains a critical obstacle in both fundamental science and technological applications.

Excellent ballistic impact resistance of AlCoCrFeNi multi-principal element alloy with unique bimodal microstructure.

Multi-principal element alloys represent a new paradigm in structural alloy design with superior mechanical properties and promising ballistic performance. Here, the mechanical response of AlCoCrFeNi alloy, with unique bimodal microstructure, was evaluated at quasistatic, dynamic, and ballistic strain rates. The microstructure after quasistatic deformation was dominated by highly deformed grains.