Post by Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials

Congratulations to Yujun Zhao on receiving the Acta Student Award 2025 for her publication in Scripta Materialia 👏 Her research reveals how oxygen influences the long-term behaviour of a refractory high-entropy alloy at elevated temperatures. Rather than acting only as an unwanted impurity, oxygen drives the formation of new nanoscale phases that strengthen the material. The findings deepen our understanding of materials designed for extreme environments, such as future aerospace applications, and open new possibilities for developing stronger high-entropy alloys through controlled oxygen uptake. The award recognises research conducted primarily during Yujun's PhD at Ruhr University Bochum under the supervision of Tong Li and Guillaume Laplanche. Yujun is now continuing her work as a postdoctoral researcher at our institute. Congratulations, Yujun, on this well-deserved recognition! #materialsscience #materials #award #alloys