biostudies-literatureChung HISTK | Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS)National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)National Research Foundation of KoreaISTK | Korea Institute of Materials Science145https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9832006biostudies-literatureUnknown14(1)Demands for ultrahigh strength in structural materials have been steadily increasing in response to environmental issues. Maraging alloys offer a high tensile strength and fracture toughness through a reduction of lattice defects and formation of intermetallic precipitates. The semi-coherent precipitates are crucial for exhibiting ultrahigh strength; however, they still result in limited work hardening and uniform ductility. Here, we demonstrate a strategy involving deformable semi-coherent precipitates and their dynamic phase transformation based on a narrow stability gap between two kinds of ordered phases. In a model medium-entropy alloy, the matrix precipitate acts as a dislocation barrier and also dislocation glide media; the grain-boundary precipitate further contributes to a significant work-hardening via dynamic precipitate transformation into the type of matrix precipitate. This combination results in a twofold enhancement of strength and uniform ductility, thus suggesting a promising alloy design concept for enhanced mechanical properties in developing various ultrastrong metallic materials.Nature communicationsDoubled strength and ductility via maraging effect and dynamic precipitate transformation in ultrastrong medium-entropy alloy.PMC9832006NRF−2020R1A5A6017701NRF-2019M3D1A1079214NRF−2020R1C1C1003554NRF-2020R1A5A6017701NRF-2020R1C1C1003554NRF-2022R1A5A1030054PNK8730Do HSLee BJJun HChoi PPSohn SSHan HNChoi WSKo WSChung HfalseDoubled strength and ductility via maraging effect and dynamic precipitate transformation in ultrastrong medium-entropy alloy.Demands for ultrahigh strength in structural materials have been steadily increasing in response to environmental issues. Maraging alloys offer a high tensile strength and fracture toughness through a reduction of lattice defects and formation of intermetallic precipitates. The semi-coherent precipitates are crucial for exhibiting ultrahigh strength; however, they still result in limited work hardening and uniform ductility. Here, we demonstrate a strategy involving deformable semi-coherent precipitates and their dynamic phase transformation based on a narrow stability gap between two kinds of ordered phases. In a model medium-entropy alloy, the matrix precipitate acts as a dislocation barrier and also dislocation glide media; the grain-boundary precipitate further contributes to a significant work-hardening via dynamic precipitate transformation into the type of matrix precipitate. This combination results in a twofold enhancement of strength and uniform ductility, thus suggesting a promising alloy design concept for enhanced mechanical properties in developing various ultrastrong metallic materials.2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Jan2026-03-17T15:46:09.999Z2025-04-19T23:09:02.905ZS-EPMC98320063662729510.1038/s41467-023-35863-z