Non-Equilibrium and Entropy-Driven Transport Physics in Multicomponent Materials under Extreme Conditions 

Chaochao Dun (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

Abstract: Functional stability under extreme thermal, chemical, mechanical, and irradiation environments remains a central challenge for modern energy and aerospace systems. Conventional equilibrium-based materials design limits accessible compositions and microstructures. From an applied physics perspective, the key question becomes: how do non-equilibrium processes and entropy govern phase stability, defect formation, and transport under extreme conditions?

In this talk, I present a framework that treats non-equilibrium pathways and entropy as physically controllable variables. Using flame–aerosol synthesis as a well-defined experimental approach, I access multicomponent materials beyond equilibrium phase limits and systematically examine how kinetic constraints and entropy influence phase retention and defect-mediated transport. Representative case studies span binary solid solutions, high-entropy ceramics, and high-entropy alloys, illustrating how kinetic control and entropy stabilization regulate defect landscapes, suppress phase separation, and improve functional performance in catalysis and energy conversion. I will also discuss related examples in flexible biosensing platforms, where disorder–transport coupling governs mechanical compliance and signal stability.

Finally, I describe how this research program can be developed at the University of Missouri by integrating high-throughput non-equilibrium synthesis, quantitative structure–property characterization through the Electron Microscopy Core (EMC), and neutron irradiation at MURR. Together, these capabilities enable systematic investigation of how multicomponentstructure governs transport and stability under coupled extreme conditions.