Abstract
Intermetallic alloys, recognized for the long-range atomic ordering and resultant impressive mechanical properties, are highly sought after in various advanced fields, including aerospace, automotive, and nuclear energy. However, their widespread application is still hindered seriously due to the poor fatigue endurance. Here, we design a new-type L12-structured multi-element symbiotic intermetallic alloy (MSIMA) and achieve a fatigue limit of ~1,100 MPa that remarkably surpasses its yield strength by 1.1 times, which is superior to other structural alloys currently in use. The complex sublattice occupation strengthens the alloy by increasing the antiphase boundary energy of the superlattice, thereby suppressing the fatigue-induced lattice defects. Concurrently, the multi-element symbiosis enables the modulation of local chemistries and the architecting of the disordered interfacial nanolayer (DINL) near grain boundaries, thereby shifting the fatigue fracture mode from intergranular to transgranular cracking. Furthermore, serving as the ductilizing sources, these DINLs facilitate the unusual anti-fatigue mechanisms—mechanical faulting and twinning—that are rarely observed in ordered alloys at room temperature. This deformation behavior effectively alleviates the strain localization and blunts the crack propagation, thereby enhancing their fatigue resistance.
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Acknowledgements
T.Y. greatly acknowledges the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 52222112 and 52101151) and the Hong Kong Research Grant Council (RGC) (Grant No: 11208823 and C5002-24Y). Y.L.Z. acknowledges the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 52101135), and Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (Grant No: JCYJ20220531095217039). J.L. gratefully acknowledges the support of National Key Research and Development Program of China (2024YFA1208004), Hong Kong JLFS - RGC-Joint Laboratory Funding Scheme (Grant No. JLFS/E-102/24), Guangdong Province Science and Technology Plan Project 2023B1212120008, Shenzhen Science and Technology Project (Project No: ZDSYS201602291653165), the IMR-CityU Joint Laboratory of Nanomaterials & Nanomechanics, and Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Modern Surface Engineering Technology. Q.L. acknowledges the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 52101162). L.J.J. acknowledges the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 52301139).
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T.Y. and Y.L.Z. conceived the idea and designed the experiments. Q.L., L.J.J., and F.H.D. performed the major experimental work. Q.L. and L.J.J. prepared the samples. Q.L., F.H.D., and Z.L.S. conducted microstructural examinations. Q.L. and Y.T.S. carried out the fatigue tests. Q.L., J.H.L., and F.H.D. performed the APT experiments and conducted the analysis. Q.L., L.J.J., and W.B.W. performed the TEM characterization. D.P.H., J.Y.Z., and W.H.Z. conducted the CLSM and AFM characterization. B.X. conducted the first-principles calculations. Y.L.Z. and T.Y. supervised the research. Q.L. and F.H.D. analyzed the data and wrote the initial manuscript. P.K.L., J.L., X.D.H., Y.L.Z., and T.Y. revised the manuscript. All the authors contributed to the final manuscript and approved the submission.
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Li, Q., Jing, L., Duan, F. et al. Increasing fatigue resistance in ordered intermetallic alloys with multi-element symbiosis. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70838-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70838-w
