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The effect of relative humidity (RH) on the corrosion of coarse-ground 304 stainless steel exposed for one year under sea salt particles was investigated. Total corrosion damage accumulation was higher at 40% RH than at 76% RH. At 40% RH, pits were numerous and irregularly shaped with a rough, cross-hatched structure. At 76% RH, pits were much fewer in number and ellipsoidal with crystallographically faceted surfaces. Higher E pit resulting from lower [Cl − ] impeded initiation at 76% RH. Cathodic resource competition likely limited growth and resulted in lower total volume loss. At 40% RH, lower E pit due to higher [Cl − ] led to initiation of multiple pits supported by discrete cathodes under individual droplets. Despite more cathodic current available at 76% RH, higher damage accumulation at 40% RH was due to lower anodic stability requirements resulting from higher [Cl − ]. At 76% RH, pitting proceeded with increasing active area at conditions above critical stability, leading to ellipsoidal pits with facets. The cross-hatched morphology at 40% RH was ascribed to growth at the critical stability conditions, driven by constant current through a fixed active area. Small cracks at the 40% RH pits might have been caused by hydrogen environment assisted cracking.

The corrosion behavior of selective laser melted (SLM) 304L was investigated and compared to conventional wrought 304L in aqueous chloride and acidic solutions. Through immersed electrochemical testing and exposure in acidic solutions, the SLM 304L exhibited superior pitting resistance in the polished state compared to wrought 304L. However, the surface condition of the SLM material had a great impact on its corrosion resistance, with the grit-blasted condition exhibiting severely diminished pitting resistance. Local scale, capillary micro-electrochemical and scanning electrochemical microscopy investigations, identified porosity as a contributing factor to decreased corrosion resistance. Preferential corrosion attack was not observed to be related to the characteristic underlying cellular microstructure produced through SLM processing. This study highlights the effects of SLM microstructural features on corrosion resistance, specifically the substantial influence of surface finish on SLM corrosion behavior and the need for development and optimization of processing techniques to improve surface finish. Powder bed selective laser melting (SLM) has become a desirable and widely used technique for the additive manufacturing (AM) of metal parts. While a significant amount of research has been carried out on the mechanical properties of SLM materials, little is known regarding their corrosion behavior. Of the few corrosion studies that do exist, the primary focus has been on evaluating general corrosion resistance.1,2 A few recent investigations have examined the role of processing and microstructure on the material corrosion behavior in more detail.3,4 However, there is still a need for further investigation in order to develop a full understanding of the microstructural and morphological characteristics inherent to AM materials due to the unique processing conditions and their relative contributions to the materials' corrosion behavior. Ideally, a ranking of the deleterious or advantageous properties formed in AM materials with respect to corrosion should be established. This is necessary for a variety of alloy systems in engineering relevant solutions and environments to help inform and guide future processing parameters, build designs, and materials selection.The powder bed process along with extremely high cooling rates and temperature gradients during SLM processing create microstructures and part surfaces that differ greatly from their conventional thermo-mechanically processed counterparts. Several characteristics are expected or have known effects on corrosion behavior including surface finish, porosity, inclusions (MnS, oxides, etc.), and microstructures formed through non-equilibrium cooling conditions. For example, a strong relationship between surface roughness and corrosion susceptibility has been observed in which pit initiation decreases with decreasing surface roughness in chloride solutions.5-7 Porosity, formed by entrapped gas or lack of fusion of powder particles in the SLM build, can also reduce...

The hygroscopic behavior of soluble salts bears importance in many research fields including atmospheric sciences, corrosion, porous building materials, and pharmaceuticals. Several methods have been used to study deliquescence (solid to liquid) and efflorescence (liquid to solid) phase transitions of these salts. In this study, we measured the deliquescence and efflorescence RH values of single salt microparticles deposited on an interdigitated microelectrode sensor via electrical impedance. The salts examined were NaCl, LiCl, NaBr, KCl, and MgCl2. Measured values were in agreement with in situ optical microscopic observations and, with the exception of MgCl2, literature values. In the case of MgCl2, deliquescence occurred at 33% RH and 12-15% RH, with the latter range being previously unreported. The depressed deliquescence RH was hypothesized to be a result of the formation of a metastable MgCl2 hydrate. Incomplete efflorescence of MgCl2 was also observed after exposure to <1.5% RH for up to 22 h due to formation of solid shells which trapped fluid. The phenomena elucidated by these results provide an explanation for the anomalous water retention and uptake behavior of MgCl2 below 33% RH reported elsewhere in the literature. The results presented in this study validate the use of this method as an alternative or complementary method for study of bulk-phase transitions of substrate-deposited particles across a broad RH range. These findings also demonstrate the utility of this method for detection of fluid trapping which cannot be directly ascertained by gravimetric and line-of-sight techniques commonly used in the study of hygroscopic particles.