Method for designing alloys

A method of manufacturing an alloy, the method comprising:

• designing a designed alloy composition comprising a plurality of elements, the designing comprising the steps of:
• populating a multi-dimensional alloy space with a plurality of candidate alloy compositions, the plurality of candidate alloy compositions including for each of the plurality of elements at least three candidate alloy compositions with different amounts of the respective element to each other;
• performing tests on each individual one of the plurality of candidate alloy compositions until each of the individual ones of the plurality of candidate alloy compositions fails a test or has passed all tests;
• outputting the designed alloy composition based on one or more of the individual ones of the plurality of candidate alloy compositions which have passed all tests,
• wherein the tests on each individual one of the plurality of candidate alloy include at least:
• a phase equilibrium test in which predicted phase equilibrium is determined as a function of elemental composition of the individual one of the plurality of candidate alloy compositions;
• and
• at least one merit index test in which a predicted property of the individual one of the plurality of candidate alloy compositions is predicted as a function of the elemental composition of the individual one of the plurality of candidate alloy compositions and failing the individual one of the plurality candidate alloy compositions if the predicted property does not meet a desired predicted property,
• wherein in the performing step at least one merit index test is performed after the phase equilibrium test and is a function of an aspect of the predicted phase equilibrium for the respective individual one of the plurality of candidate alloy compositions, and
• wherein the phase equilibrium test further comprises failing the individual one of the plurality of candidate alloy compositions if the predicted phase equilibrium does not meet a desired predicted phase equilibrium;
• and
• manufacturing the alloy with a composition within the designed alloy composition.