High-temperature shock synthesis of high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles for catalysis

Rational design and precise fabrication of advanced functional materials are intimately linked to the technological advances in synthetic methodologies. The high-temperature shock (HTS) method, which involves an ultrafast heating/cooling rate (>105 K s–1) and features kinetics-dominated characteristics in material synthesis, exhibits high superiority in exploring and controllable preparation of novel materials that are typically unobtainable, such as high-entropy composition, thermodynamically metastable phases, and defect-rich surfaces. Among these significant advances, high-entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticles are particularly prominent in heterogeneous catalytic reactions with remarkable activity, selectivity, and stability owing to their flexible composition space and high-entropy mixing structure. In this review, the physicochemical principles of HTS are presented, and the equipment and mechanisms of representative HTS techniques (e.g., Joule heating, laser heating, microwave heating) are comprehensively introduced, with the aim of accelerating the development of burgeoning HTS techniques. The concept and features of HEAs are also briefly introduced, and recent progress in the synthesis of HEAs using the HTS techniques is reviewed to provide a focused view on the unique advantages of HTS synthesis for HEAs and the exploration of novel materials. Finally, conclusions and perspectives are also provided for future investigations of HTS and HEAs, which have great significance in guiding their development and integrating their strengths.