Laser-generated CuPdAgPtAu High-Entropy Alloy Nanoparticles -- Thermal Segregation Threshold and Elemental Segregation

Abstract

High-entropy alloy nanoparticles synthesized via laser ablation in liquid are promising for catalysis due to their ability to form simple solid solutions despite chemical complexity. In this study, noble metal HEA NPs (CuPdAgPtAu) are produced from equimolar and Cu- or Ag-enriched bulk targets. Advanced electron microscopy, XRD, and atomistic simulations are used for structural and compositional analysis. Equimolar targets and NPs exhibit a single fcc phase. In contrast, Cu- or Ag-enriched targets show phase segregation into two fcc phases, which is not observed in the synthesized NPs. Simulations predict segregation tendencies, including Ag surface enrichment and Pt core enrichment due to surface energy differences. However, experimentally, individual NPs remain compositionally homogeneous. Thermal stability studies reveal that phase segregation can be induced post-synthesis. Upon heating, Cu-Ag segregation occurs, forming a second fcc phase similar to bulk targets. These findings demonstrate that rapid quenching during laser ablation suppresses thermodynamically driven segregation and stabilizes metastable solid solutions under kinetic control. Subsequent slow heating overcomes kinetic barriers, enabling equilibrium phase formation at higher temperatures. The thermal stability of these NPs and their tunable composition, including Cu enrichment beyond equilibrium limits, make them promising for high-temperature catalytic applications while reducing noble metal usage.