High-Entropy Alloys Could Reshape Africa’s Clean Energy Value Chain

Africa’s mineral wealth could give the continent a strategic advantage in the emerging hydrogen economy — but only if countries move beyond exporting raw materials and begin capturing more value through advanced processing and materials manufacturing.

The opportunity centres on high-entropy alloys (HEAs), an emerging class of materials that combine multiple metallic elements rather than relying on a single dominant metal. Unlike conventional alloys such as steel or bronze, HEAs can be engineered to deliver enhanced strength, corrosion resistance, thermal performance and durability.

For Africa, the proposition is significant. The continent accounts for roughly three-quarters of global manganese supply, around 70% of cobalt production and nearly a fifth of copper output. Yet it captures less than 1% of the value generated by manufacturing clean-energy technologies that rely on these minerals.

That imbalance highlights a wider industrial challenge: Africa exports the inputs for advanced energy technologies while importing the finished products.

Researchers are investigating whether HEAs could help address one of hydrogen’s biggest technical barriers: storage.

Hydrogen can be stored in solid form by allowing its atoms to be absorbed into metals or alloys. Metal-hydride systems can offer higher energy density by volume and potentially safer storage than some conventional approaches.

Studies indicate that certain HEAs can absorb and release hydrogen repeatedly while maintaining structural stability. Some may also operate under relatively moderate temperature and pressure conditions, potentially opening opportunities for transport and other energy applications.

The challenge is identifying the right combination of elements. With potentially thousands of possible alloy compositions, relying solely on laboratory testing would be costly and time-consuming.

Computational materials science offers a way forward. Techniques such as density functional theory can model atomic behaviour and predict properties including structural stability and hydrogen-binding strength before an alloy is manufactured.

This could significantly reduce development costs and accelerate the search for commercially viable materials.

The continent already produces several elements relevant to HEA development, including titanium, vanadium, chromium and manganese. The strategic opportunity is therefore not simply to increase mining, but to build capabilities around refining, alloy production, research and manufacturing.

That will require investment in research infrastructure, high-performance computing, technical skills and reliable energy systems, alongside stronger partnerships between governments, universities and industry.

If these capabilities are developed, high-entropy alloys could become more than a materials-science breakthrough. They could form part of a broader industrial strategy aimed at moving Africa from a “dig-and-ship” model towards participation in the design and manufacture of next-generation clean energy technologies.