Sometimes chaos is desirable. High entropy ceramics are a new class of materials in which more than five different elements form a well-defined crystal structure. This paves the way for new material designs with amazing properties. They can be used, for example, to convertCO2 into synthetic sustainable energy sources and to generate energy from large temperature differences. High entropy oxides, or so-called disordered crystals, are a very young field of research in which there is still much to discover. Enormous potential is seen for catalytic systems, especially in the conversion ofCO2 and hydrogen to methanol. This is because methanol is an important chemical raw material that can be used in many forms in our society - for example for fuels. Disordered crystals are a potential material for these coveted catalysts. On the one hand, their extreme disorder can bring new dimensions of stability to catalytic processes, leading to a longer catalyst lifetime. On the other hand, their chemistry can be highly customized to create both defects and synergies between different elements. Specifically, in high-entropy oxides, individual positions within the precisely ordered structures of a crystal are replaced by foreign elements. Extraordinary properties can be expected from a mix of at least five different elements. Scientists then like to speak of the so-called cocktail effect.
