Abstract
The interest in ultra-high-purity (UHP) metals and alloys (including single crystals and bicrystals) in studying damage mechanisms is presented through three practical cases of environment or precipitation-induced damages in nuclear power plants. First, stress corrosion cracking mechanisms are assessed by direct measurements of hydrogen-dislocation interactions in pure nickel single crystals in low-cycle fatigue tests under cathodic potential. Hydrogen-induced softening is observed, that confirms an important assumption on the corrosion-enhanced plasticity model. Second, mechanisms of high-temperature intergranular cracking of bimetallic welds are analysed on a series of model materials including 302 H stainless steel and UHP stainless steel selectively doped with carbon. The key role of carbide precipitation and localised shearing in a chromium-depleted zone is pointed out. Finally, the analysis of intergranular penetration of liquid Bi-rich films in a polycrystalline solid Ni inducates the presence of very long and brittle films of nanometric thickness, which have to be taken into account in any model of liquid-metal embrittlement.
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