embrittlement

American  

[em-brit-l-muhnt] / ɛmˈbrɪt l mənt /

noun

1. the act or process of becoming brittle, as steel from exposure to certain environments or heat treatment or because of the presence of impurities.

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Etymology

Origin of embrittlement

First recorded in 1915–20; embrittle + -ment

Example Sentences

The presentation suggests that the bolts failed because of so-called hydrogen embrittlement — the same problem that plagued the San Francisco Bay Bridge in California, and which had to be repaired at great expense.

From New York Times

An outside engineering firm, Alta Vista, completed a study in late 2017; the report, obtained by The Times, concluded there was “compelling evidence” that hydrogen embrittlement “is not a cause of the observed bolt failures.”

From New York Times

And we had an issue with embrittlement.”

From Washington Post

To measure embrittlement, the plants use extra samples of the metal from which their reactor vessels were made, called coupons, stored for years in irradiated areas inside the reactors.

From New York Times

“We have a concern that running reactors well beyond their economic lifetime and well into embrittlement is not sound.”

From New York Times