Influence of laser powder bed fusion processing parameters on corrosion behaviour of 316L stainless steel in nitric acid

The effect of process parameters on the microstructure and corrosion behavior of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel was reported. Immersion tests were performed in nitric acid solution at boiling temperature and the corrosion behaviour was correlated to microstructure of 316L stainless steel specimens produced by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) as a function of the process parameters such as scanning strategy, laser power and hatching distance. These parameters were found to influence the porosity, the grain size and the cellular microstructure. The corrosion tests revealed a higher impact of hatching distance on corrosion behaviour. Post-mortem microstructural examination revealed that the corrosion preferentially occurred at cellular structures and at grain boundaries and melt pools when the scanning strategy and hatching distance were respectively modified. The solute segregation at boundaries cells, the grain size distribution and the porosity could explain this corrosion behaviour. The results were compared with those of solution annealed counterpart, which would provide a factual basis for future applications of L-PBF 316L stainless steel.