A metal alloy is like a cocktail: mix a few elements and you get a material with new properties. But while a bartender tastes the drink, engineers need to know in advance how an alloy will behave in service. For instance, will it withstand high temperatures and not lose its ability to conduct current?

The research team proposed a method that quickly estimates three key characteristics of an alloy: electrical resistance, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity. Instead of lengthy laboratory tests, they use a computational model based on the alloy's composition. The model was tested on alloys of tungsten, tantalum, and vanadium, as well as niobium, molybdenum, and tantalum. Predictions matched experimental data over a wide temperature range — from room temperature to 1300 kelvins.

Of particular interest was the alloy W53Ta42V5: its electrical resistance barely changes when heated from 300 to 1300 kelvins. Such behavior is useful for precision instruments that require stability. The authors hope their approach will accelerate the discovery of new materials for energy, electronics, and aerospace.