Although the mechanism by which irradiation affects stress corrosion cracking is not precisely known, existing theories fall in the following categories: (a) radiation-induced

grain boundary chromium depletion (radiation-induced segregation), (b) radiation hardening, (c) localized deformation, (d) selective internal oxidation, and (e) irradiation creep.

Corrosion by liquid metal and molten salts (especially fluorides) is seldom affected by radiation. Liquid metals appear to be unaffected by radiation (except to develop radioactivity). Reader is referred to various other references for further details.

6.5