Irradiation performance of high entropy ceramics: A comprehensive comparison with conventional ceramics and high entropy alloys

High entropy ceramics (HECs) are a novel class of ceramics that exhibit high melting point, excellent high-temperature mechanical performance, and superb corrosion resistance, making them promising candidates for advanced nuclear reactors. Notably, encouraging irradiation tolerance has been found in a few HECs based on the scattered reports in the current literature. In this article, we systematically review the recent progress in the irradiation response of HECs, including high entropy carbides, high entropy pyrochlore oxides, high entropy MAX phases, and high entropy nitride films. The influence of chemical complexity on the irradiation properties of HECs is examined by comparing them with their corresponding single-component ceramic counterparts. Besides, the similarities and differences between HECs and widely-studied high entropy alloys are discussed regarding their irradiation responses. In the end, we envisage prospects for the future development of irradiation-tolerant HECs.