Multicomponent high-entropy zirconates with comprehensive properties for advanced thermal barrier coating

Thermal barrier coating materials, commonly ceramics, are deposited on superalloy surfaces to improve their service temperature. However, the intrinsic brittleness and low thermal expansion of ceramics pose a great challenge to developing new materials to replace yttria-stabilized zirconia. Herein, entropy engineering is employed to fabricate multicomponent rare earth zirconates with a large coefficient of thermal expansion, excellent mechanical properties and ultralow thermal conductivity, without sacrificing other properties. This work provides a new insight into developing novel ceramics with a combination of mechanical and thermophysical properties, which would be significant in material development for thermal barrier coatings, thermoelectric fields, etc.