Neutron fatigue
Neutron fatigue was a breakdown of the nuclear cohesion in a material.

A sub-micron fracture, caused by neutron fatigue, in the metal casing of a dilithium chamber hatch replaced at Earth Station McKinley in 2367 was the cause for an explosion in the 's dilithium chamber, and not sabotage by the Klingon spy J'Dan, as was originally suspected. ()

See also
 

Physics