Corrosion of nickel-base alloys in primary medium of pressurized water reactors: New insights on the oxide growth mechanisms and kinetic modelling

•Review of results related to Ni-base alloy oxidation in PWR primary medium.•Proposition of an oxide growth mechanism.•Development of a kinetic model linking alloy surface defect density to oxidation.•Comparison of modelled kinetics and experimental data for oxide growth and cation release.