Microstructure and mechanical properties of nanoscale Cu/(Ta50Nb25Mo25) multilayers

Nanoscale Cu/(Ta50Nb25Mo25) multilayers comprised of medium entropy alloy Ta50Nb25Mo25 and pure Cu are found to exhibit similar length-scale-dependent deformation mechanisms as metallic multilayers with elemental individual layers, i.e., confined layer slip at layer thickness of tens of nanometers and shear localization at several nanometers. The hardness of the nanoscale Cu/(Ta50Nb25Mo25) multilayers is higher as compared to the pure element FCC/BCC multilayers due to the extra solid solution strengthening contribution in the BCC layer. The synergy between the size effect and solid solution strengthening mechanism is discussed. This is an early report of the multi-component multilayers, which serves to provide directions for developing novel multilayer materials. [Display omitted] •The present multilayers exhibit similar length-scale-dependent deformation mechanisms with previous bimetal multilayers.•The high hardness attributes to the extra solid solution strengthening contribution in the BCC layer.•The synergy between the size effect and solid solution strengthening mechanism is discussed.•This is an early report of the multi-component multilayers, provides directions for developing novel multilayer materials.