Improved Ability to Resist Corrosion of Selective-Laser-Melted Stainless Steel Based on Microstructure and Passivation Film Characteristics

The local corrosion resistance of forging and selective laser melting (SLM) 304 steels was explored by intergranular corrosion analysis, double-loop electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation, dynamic polarization experimentation, structural analysis, and passivation film characteristics analysis. The ability to resist sensitization of SLM 304 steel is greater than that of forging 304 steel at a temperature of 650 °C for 9 h. Moreover, the pit corrosion resistance of forging and SLM 304 steels is weakened by sensitization, while the pit corrosion resistance of SLM 304 steel is much greater than that of forging steel. Therefore, SLM technology can improve the ability to resist sensitization and pit corrosion of 304 steel. Analysis showed that the ability to resist corrosion of the passivation film of SLM 304 steel is greater than that of forging steel. In addition, corrosion pits are easier to generate at the interface of forging steel and SLM 304 steel. The grain boundary corrosion of SLM 304 steel intensified while the corrosion of the melt pool boundaries weakened after the sensitization treatment, resulting in a decrease in pit corrosion resistance. The coupling effect of these different structures and passivation films decides the pit and sensitization resistance of forging and SLM 304 steels. Clarifying the corrosion mechanism of forging and SLM steels is of great significance for scientific research and the widespread use of SLM technology.