Liquid metal embrittlement susceptibility of an oxide-dispersion strengthened FeCrAl alloy in contact with liquid lead-bismuth eutectic at 350 °C

Liquid metal embrittlement (LME) susceptibility of an oxide-dispersion strengthened (ODS) Fe14Cr4.5Al-0.5Y 2 O 3 (wt%) alloy in lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) at 350 °C has been studied using slow strain rate tensile tests. The results showed that LME occurred in this alloy regardless of the oxygen concentration dissolved in LBE, but an oxygen-rich condition led to a much smaller area of cleavage on fracture surfaces as compared to an oxygen-poor condition. Most interestingly, deep secondary cracks were observed in all specimens tested in either oxygen-rich or -poor LBE, which result from LME-induced cracking of the (prior) elongated grain boundaries formed during hot rotary swaging. • LME of an ODS FeCrAl alloy in LBE at 350 °C is investigated. • The ODS FeCrAl alloy is embrittled either in oxygen-rich or -poor LBE. • Unusually deep secondary cracking resulting from elongated grains is observed.