Embracing entropy in glass-ceramics

Glass-ceramics have extensive industrial applications owing to their superior mechanical, optical and physicochemical properties compared to either glasses or ceramics. Herein, we leverage the concept of high entropy materials to broaden the available chemical compositions for tailoring the properties of glass-ceramics. Among various compositions explored, the high entropy glass 45SiO2-20Al2O3-15MgO-11Li2O-1.5TiO2-1.5ZrO2-2P2O5-2BaO-SnO2-CaO was identified as particularly promising, being easily cast with no pores and cracks. Furthermore, we successfully controlled the crystallization process to produce high entropy glass-ceramics (HEGCs) that range from highly transparent to highly opaque. The concurrent crystallization of γ-spodumene and cordierite led to exceptional mechanical properties such as high Vickers microhardness (10.37 GPa), compressive strength (541 MPa), and flexural strength (305 MPa). These findings not only showcase a novel approach to customizing the chemical composition of glass-ceramics, but also suggest the potential emergence of a new class of glass-ceramics. These materials hold great promise for dental, optoelectronics and energy-related applications.