Key Features:

• Time-Dependent Failure: It happens after some hours, days, or even weeks after the application of the first stress, as opposed to the immediate fractures. Consequently, structural applications may prove dangerous and unpredictable.
• Hydrogen Effect: It is embrittled by add-on hydrogen, whether coming from the environment or manufacture, like through pickling or electroplating, resulting in a greater possibility of delayed rupture.
• Material Sensitivity: High-strength alloys, especially in critical engineering applications, could be seen as susceptible to delayed fracture due to their sensitivity to internal defects and stress concentrations.

For significance, delayed fractures make a difference in the long-term qualification of engineering components when it comes to reliability and safety. They occur in sectors like aerospace, automotive, and construction, where components are continuously subjected to stresses over time—that is, suddenly failing without any impending signs. Such an occurrence would precipitate massive catastrophes, thus necessitating proper material selection and controlled process manufacture with intensive testing. Advances in material science lobby for alloy formulation with delayed fracture resistance to guarantee users' safety and dependability when using such materials in various applications.