Interstitials in compositionally complex alloys

The effects of interstitial alloying on the mechanical and diffusive properties of compositionally complex alloys (CCAs), including high-entropy alloys (HEAs), are reviewed. The solubility of interstitial elements in CCAs can be extraordinarily high, a feature corroborated by ab initio density functional theory simulations. The yield stresses, work-hardening rates, and Hall–Petch slopes of CCAs are normally reported to increase due to interstitial alloying. In some CCAs, interstitial alloying has been found to enhance both strength and ductility, thus circumventing the traditional tradeoff between these properties. Self-diffusivities of the HEA CoCrFeMnNi are found to show complex dependences on interstitial C concentration as well as on temperature. Some CCAs with Laves phase or body-centered cubic crystal structures show potential as hydrogen-storage materials, with both experimental and computational research in this area steadily increasing. Based on the insights obtained, possible directions for further studies on the impacts of interstitial alloying in CCAs are suggested. Graphical abstract