Functional properties and promising applications of high entropy alloys

High-entropy alloys are a novel class of complex materials discovered near the center of phase diagram, and show exceptional performances over the traditional alloys. The ability of high-entropy alloys to be designed unique combinations of mechanical and functional properties in unlimited space of alloy compositions is encouraging. The unconventional chemical structures hold promise for achieving unprecedented functional performances, making it a potential functional material in the field of soft-magnetic, anti-radiation, catalyst, photothermal conversion materials, etc. Here, the recent progress in understanding the salient features of high-entropy alloys is reviewed. The functional performances and underlying mechanisms are carefully discussed.