Role of localized deformation in irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking initiation

Intergranular cracking of irradiated austenitic alloys depended on localized grain boundary stress and deformation in both high-temperature aqueous and argon environments. Tensile specimens were irradiated with protons to doses of 1 to 7 dpa and then strained in high-temperature argon, simulated boiling water reactor normal water chemistry, and supercritical water environments. Quantitative measurements confirmed that the initiation of intergranular cracks was promoted by (1) the formation of coarse dislocation channels, (2) discontinuous slip across grain boundaries, (3) a high inclination of the grain boundary to the tensile axis, and (4) low-deformation propensity of grains as characterized by their Schmid and Taylor factors. The first two correlations, as well as the formation of intergranular cracks at the precise locations of dislocation channel-grain boundary intersections are evidence that localized deformation drives crack initiation. The latter two correlations are evidence that intergranular cracking is promoted at grain boundaries experiencing elevated levels of normal stress.