high-entropy alloy

Noun

 * 1)  a type of metallic alloy containing not one dominant element, but multiple major elements, with a single crystalline structure and existing in a single phase

Usage notes
Usually to be considered a high-entropy alloy, there should be at least five principal elements, each comprising in concentration between 5%-35% of the total.

An alternative stand-point is that high entropy alloys are systems that are considered single phase (i.e. one homogeneous crystal structure) and that the driving force for homogeneity is the configurational entropy (hence the term 'high entropy'). Alloys containing four elements that can be considered high entropy alloys include the well studied CrCoFeNi alloy.

Hyponyms

 * a high entropy alloy with five major elements