Hydride precipitation, fracture and plasticity mechanisms in pure zirconium and Zircaloy-4 at temperatures typical for the postulated loss-of-coolant accident

•All δ-hydrides in Zr and Zircaloy-4 have basal or pyramidal types of habit planes.•Seven orientation relationships for δ-hydrides in Zr matrix were detected.•Decohesion fracture mechanism of hydrogenated Zr was investigated by fractography.

The results of investigations of samples of zirconium and its alloy Zircaloy-4, hydrogenated at temperatures 900–1200 K (typical temperatures for loss-of-coolant accidents) are presented. The analyses, based on a range of complementary techniques (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction) reveals the direct interrelation of internal structure transformation and hydride distribution with the degradation of mechanical properties. Formation of small-scale zirconium hydrides and their bulk distribution in zirconium and Zircaloy-4 were investigated. Fractographical analysis was performed on the ruptured samples tested in a tensile machine at room temperature. The already-known hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms based on hydride formation and hydrogen-enhanced decohesion and the applicability of them in the case of zirconium and its alloys is discussed.