Abstract
Localized deformation and corrosion in irradiated 304 nuclear grade stainless steel in simulated primary water were investigated.The investigation was conducted by comparing the deformation structure,the oxide scale formed at the deformation structure,and their correlation with cracking.The results revealed that increasing the irradiation dose promoted localized corrosion at the slip step and grain boundary,which was primarily attributed to the strain concentration induced by enhanced localized deformation and depletion of Cr at grain boundary.Further,a synergic effect of the enhanced localized deformation and localized corrosion at the slip step and grain boundary caused a higher cracking susceptibility of the irradiated steel.