Liquid metal cracking (LMC) is the progressive reduction in ductility of metals or alloys that are typically very ductile, which occurs after they are stressed via contact with a liquid metal.
Liquid metal cracking is also known as liquid metal embrittlement (LME).
Liquid metal cracking is caused when two primary conditions are met on a solid metal’s surface when it comes into contact with a liquid metal:
- Low combined solubility between the contacted system
- Lack of reactivity between the two metals to form a chemically stable bond