Effect of Temperature and Orientation on the Corrosion of Wire-arc Additively Manufactured 316LSi Stainless Steel in Simulated Seawater

Abstract A comprehensive evaluation of the corrosion performance of type 316L stainless steel materials made using conventional manufacturing and wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). The materials were immersed in simulated seawater at both ambient and elevated temperatures and evaluated using DC and AC electrochemical techniques including cyclic-potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The effect of the build orientation on resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) was also investigated by subjecting the samples to different stress levels during exposure. Surface and metallographic characterization techniques including scanning electron microscopy and 3D microscopy with profilometry were used to characterize the damage morphologies formed after exposure.