Certain materials exhibit general and/or localized corrosion and
embrittlement when in contact with certain liquid metals. Liquid
metal embrittlement (LME) shows many of the characteristics of
both SCC and HEC. For example. LME is often preceded by an incubation
period required for the liquid metal to penetrate oxide or passive
layers on the substrate material which is analogous to local depassivation
prior to SCC. However. in many cases, LME shows a very strong
effect of stress intensity and a rapid transition from slow to
rapid crack growth similar to HEC (see Fig. 2).
Therefore. it is common in LME tests to utilize surface-active
agents or dynamic strain to promote surface attack and thereby
reducing the incubation time required to initiate cracking. Second.
tension, precracked. or notched specimens and fracture mechanics
methods as also utilized extensively in LME testing.
Also See Liquid Metal Embrittlement in Cracking
