Enhanced mechanical properties and in vitro biocompatibility of TiMOVWCr high-entropy alloy synthesized by magnetron sputtering

Schematic of Process Flow: Pure elemental targets are cut into pieces and arranged in a single target facility. [Display omitted] •A new type of TiMoVWCr high-entropy alloys (HEA) thin film is synthesized by RF magnetron sputtering.•Single target system specialized for HEAs.•Crystalline structure obtained at room temperature.•High hardness of (29.2 GPa) and modulus of (321 ± 8.9 GPa) is obtained.•TiMoVWCr HEA thin film showed enhanced biocompatibility.•This single target system can be commercialized to avoid the use of multi-targets for HEAs. This study proposes the synthesis of a high-entropy alloy (HEA) composed of TiMoVWCr and a new synthesis route specialized for high-entropy alloys (HEAs) using radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The development of HEAs with diversification for various elements is paramount for bridging some limitations in the usage of materials in harsh environments. In developing HEA-preparation techniques, the emergence of a novel sputtering target system is promising for preparing a wide range of HEAs. Thus, a reproducible single target sputtering system is proposed for HEAs and is evaluated systematically. This new target-preparation technique aids in tailoring the elemental compositions to optimize the alloy for important mechanical and biomedical applications, e.g., titanium implants. Films are analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy cross-sectional thickness. XRD and valence electron concentration (VEC) data showed a body-centered cubic structure with a major peak orientation of (110). Additionally, this alloy exhibited a very high hardness (29.2 GPa (±1.5)), elastic modulus (321 ± 8.9 GPa), smooth surface, and good cell viability compared to CP-Ti. The remarkably high hardness and elastic modulus are compared with the literature. Further, the crystalline phase is obtained at room temperature (RT) without undergoing post-treatment.