(a) Factors causing the in-reactor degradation of fuel cladding materials: COR = corrosion, RDN = radiation, STR = stress. (b) A 3 μm-high step was found between unirradiated and irradiated (5.1 MeV Si²⁺) areas in high-purity 3C-SiC; self-ion irradiation preceded the SiC exposure to water (320 °C, 20 MPa, 168 h) [40]. (c) The IAC cell used for synergistic proton irradiation/aqueous corrosion tests on various nuclear materials. (d) Zircaloy-4 (Zry-4) subjected to proton irradiation (3.2 MeV p⁺; 1.1 × 10⁻⁶ dpa/s; 320 °C; 24 h) in contact with hydrogenated water (3 ppm H₂) in the IAC cell. SEM inspection of the tested Zry-4 sample revealed oxide scales of ∼0.3 μm and ∼3 μm in thickness in the unirradiated and irradiated areas, respectively [39]. (e) Three areas are typically observed on the surface of disc-shaped samples subjected to synergistic proton irradiation/aqueous corrosion tests in the IAC cell. The material degradation mechanisms in these three areas are: (I) proton irradiation & water radiolysis, (II) water radiolysis, and (III) aqueous corrosion. The diameter of area (I) corresponds to the diameter of the p⁺ beam.