Grain boundary grooving accelerated by local plasticity as a possible mechanism of liquid metal embrittlement

Kinetic mechanism of premature grain boundary (GB) failure under simultaneous action of tensile stress and wetting liquid metals (LME) is not clear yet. We summarize briefly the stress intensity, surface energy and GB segregation effects in LME crack kinetics and the explanations that have been put forward. A possible mechanism of LME is outlined. It is proposed that GB cracks under LME propagate by Mullins grooving controlled by bulk diffusion in liquid and dramatically accelerated by periodic blunting of the groove tip by local plastic flow. It is found that this GALOP (Grooving Accelerated by Local Plasticity) mechanism captures the major experimental observations of stress intensity, surface energy and GB segregation effects in LME fairly well. A parallel between the GALOP mechanism and the GB subcritical crack growth under creep in inert atmosphere is mentioned.