The materials used for nuclear reactors and reprocessing plants should maintain their integrity under irradiation and corrosive environments. For the advanced reactors, the materials are needed to have resistance against more severe environments. Research and development on irradiation effects of materials for nuclear reactors, corrosion damage mechanism of stress corrosion cracking of reactor structural materials, and corrosion mechanism of reprocessing plant materials are made.
Fig. Stress corrosion cracking observed at a shroud in the core of BWR (boiling water reactor) (upper). Distributions of Ni, Mo and Si atoms analyzed with 3-dimenssional atom probe (lower).
