Engineering Ti-Zr-Hf high-entropy alloys (HEA) with rare-earth and boron additives for microstructure-controlled mixed-field radiation shielding: Fabrication, physical, structural and experimental γ-ray & fast-n shielding properties

This study investigates three newly designed Ti-Zr-Hf-based high-entropy alloys such as TiZrHfGdSm (N1), TiZrHfEr (N2), and TiZrHfGdEuB (N3), with the aim of understanding how selected rare-earth and boron additions influence microstructural evolution and dual gamma-ray/fast-neutron shielding performance. All alloys were synthesized by arc melting and evaluated through thermodynamic modelling, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with elemental mapping, and mixed-field attenuation measurements. The results show that each composition forms an HCP-type solid-solution matrix with composition-dependent lattice distortion and secondary phase formation. Among the studied systems, the Er-modified alloy N2 develops the most spatially uniform elemental distribution and demonstrates the most balanced combination of gamma-ray attenuation, effective atomic number, buildup behaviour, and fast-neutron removal efficiency. N1 and N3, containing multiple rareearth elements and, in the case of N3, boron-induced borides, exhibit distinct grain features and provide valuable insights into how multi-element additions shape photon and neutron interaction pathways. Comparative examination confirms that shielding performance in these HEAs is governed by the interplay of elemental cross sections, density, and microstructural uniformity. The findings highlight Ti-Zr-Hf-RE(B) alloys as promising platforms for multifunctional radiation-shielding materials and provide a compositional framework for future optimization in nuclear, medical, and aerospace applications.

Dergi

JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS

Yıl

2026

Cilt

1057

ISSN

0925-8388

eISSN

1873-4669

DOI

10.1016/j.jallcom.2026.186744

WoS UID

WOS:001691702000001