Micro-mechanisms of the ductile-to-brittle transition in hydrogenated zirconium alloys: A review and a comparison analysis of experimental data and theoretical approaches

Abstract

The primary objective of this article is to gather comprehensive experimental and theoretical data on the fracture process of hydrogenated zirconium alloys at micro- and nano- levels and conduct an extensive analysis to identify consensus statements and any potential contradictions. The article focuses on the physical mechanisms that contribute to the ductile-to-brittle transition in fracture mode and examines published hypothesis that explain these mechanisms. The manuscript contains a comprehensive list of published experimental studies on the mechanical properties of hydrogenated zirconium alloys. This study will be useful for developing and verifying models and for planning of experimental studies and analyzing their results.