Designing a novel FeCoNiMnCu high-entropy Alloy: Synthesis, structural evolution, magnetic behavior, and radiation shielding performance

In this study, a novel FeCoNiMnCu HEA was synthesized via mechanical alloying and exhibited a single-phase face-centered cubic (FCC) structure with a crystallite size of 11.7 nm and a lattice strain of 0.81 %. Magnetic characterization revealed soft ferromagnetic behavior with a saturation magnetization of 32 emu/g at 300 K, increasing to 53 emu/g at 10 K. The alloy demonstrated excellent gamma-ray attenuation, with lower half-value layer (HVL) and mean free path (MFP) values than conventional shielding materials. Notably, its fast neutron removal cross-section (ΣR = 0.1654 cm−1) outperformed standard materials such as B4C, graphite, and water in the fast neutron energy range. These findings underline the multifunctional performance of FeCoNiMnCu HEA, highlighting its strong potential for use in advanced nuclear reactor components and radiation shielding technologies.