Effect of hydrostatic extrusion on passivity breakdown on 303 austenitic stainless steel in chloride solution

The stability of the passive film formed on austenitic 303 stainless steel in the as-received state and after severe plastic deformation by hydrostatic extrusion (HE) leading to nanostructurization was investigated in an aggressive environment containing Cl⁻ ions by anodic polarization. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and stereological image analysis were used to examine structural changes introduced by HE. Surface analytical techniques such as light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and scanning Auger microscopy (SAM) were used to characterize the morphology, grain size, and chemistry of the surface, including local characterization of nonmetallic inclusions and their surface before and after HE. SAM analysis revealed discontinuities of the passive oxide film on MnS inclusions. TEM and scanning transmission electron microscopy examinations confirm a drastic reduction of grain size accompanied by a distinct refinement of the size of sulfide inclusions in the HE matrix. These changes in the HE 303 stainless steel are apparently responsible for its reduced pitting resistance compared to the as-received material. Contribution to the Fall Meeting of the European Materials Research Society, Symposium D: 9th International Symposium on Electrochemical–Chemical Reactivity of Metastable Materials, Warsaw, 17th–21st September, 2007.     

Characterization of deposits build-up on austenitic stainless steel AISI 316L exposed in high purity water system

For the characterization of deposit layers on AISI 316L surfaces in high purity water systems, operating up to 80 °C Mössbauer spectroscopy (ME), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are used. Austenitic steel particles were identified on the surfaces of systems not properly cleaned before start-up. Long exposition of austenitic surfaces to high purity water promotes the build-up, composed by trivalent iron and chromium oxidehydroxides and oxide. The oxidehydroxide phase is located mainly at the solid-water interface, whereas oxide phase is in direct contact with metal. Spheroid-like morphology of particles in these layers and the lack of metal attack suggest that coagulation and crystallization processes are the way for oxide production from existing dissolved species.     

Breakdown potential modelling of austenitic stainless steel

The breakdown potential is a crucial factor in the study of pitting corrosion resistance of stainless steel. This work aims to demonstrate the advantage of different chemometric techniques to estimate the breakdown potential of austenitic stainless steel. In order to predict pitting corrosion behaviour of stainless steel, a total of 60 samples of this alloy were subjected to electrochemical tests varying chloride ion concentration, pH and temperature. The experimental values of the breakdown potential, in addition to the tested environmental factors, were used to construct the predictive models based on support vector machines and artificial neural networks. A multiple‐comparison study based on statistic tests was applied to determine the optimal configuration for each technique. According to the results, support vector machines became a suitable and reliable technique to be applied in the modelling of the breakdown potential of austenitic stainless steels. This technique outperformed the models based on artificial neural networks and provided a useful tool to compare the pitting corrosion resistance of stainless steel in different environmental conditions without recourse to polarization tests. Therefore, this model presented a relevant meaning in science and engineering applications. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of carbon doping on corrosion resistance and conductivity of CrMoN-coated 316L stainless steel bipolar plates

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - CrMoCN coatings with different carbon contents are prepared on 316L stainless steel substrates by closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering. The...     

Pitting resistance of anodic passive films formed on 316L stainless steel in the concentrated artificial seawater

The pitting resistance of anodic passive films formed on 316L stainless steel was studied in the concentrated artificial seawater with the concentration ratio (c _R) ranged from 1.5 to 3 times under typical operation temperature condition of multi effect distillation (MED) by using the polarization curve and Mott-Schottky analysis. The pitting potential decreases linearly with the logarithm of c _R. The anodic passive films are characterized by both n- and p-type semiconductive behavior, i.e., a bilayer microstructure. The density values of defects (i.e. N _D and N _A) are in the range of 10²⁰ to 10²¹ cm^?3, and increase with c _R linearly. According to the point defect model (PDM), the increase of both Cl^? concentration and defect density N _D can facilitate the absorption of Cl^? ions in the passive films, which is mainly responsible for the deterioration of pitting resistance in the concentrated artificial seawater.     

Effect of triple beam irradiation on microstructural evolution in austenitic stainless steel

An austenitic stainless steel was simultaneously irradiated with a triple beam of nickel, helium and hydrogen ions in the temperature range 573–673 K. Microstructural evolution in the specimen was observed from the cross-sectional direction normal to the incident surface using a transmission electron microscope. Synergistic effects of displacement damage, hydrogen and helium were characterized by decreasing the number density of dislocation loops in this temperature range.     

Differential scanning calorimetry study of the solidification sequence of austenitic stainless steel

The solidification sequence of austenitic stainless steels can be predicted with thermodynamic calculations. Another way is to use models where the value of the Cr_eq./Ni_eq. ratio determines the relationship between the solidification mode and the composition factor. In this study the solidification of AISI 304LN stainless steel at different cooling rates was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The samples were linearly heated above the liquidus temperature to 1550 °C at heating rates of 5, 10, and 25 K/min. The solidification (cooling) scans from 1550 °C involved the same selected ramps. After the DSC measurements the samples were metallographically analyzed to reveal the variations in the solidification microstructures. The microhardness of the solidified samples was also measured. It was found that the cooling rate critically influenced the solidification. The solidification behavior, which depends on the cooling rate, determines the evolution of the microstructure. At the slowest cooling rates a relief-cell morphology was observed, and at the fastest cooling rate the formation of dendrites was evident. With an increasing cooling rate the liquidus temperature decreased and the reaction enthalpy increased.     

Copper nucleation and growth patterns on stainless steel cathode blanks in copper electrorefining

Surface properties of stainless steel on nucleation and growth of copper under electrorefining conditions were studied using AISI 316L type stainless steel in rotating disc electrodes (RDE), stationary electrodes and Hull cell, and also worn industrial cathode blanks. The aim was to find correlations between surface topography and nucleation and growth using deposition tests, microscopy, and image analysis. Deposition tests were done galvanostatically using synthetic copper electrorefining electrolyte and current density 330?A/m² typical in electrorefining. On the as-received stainless steel with 2B finish, nucleation happened at grain boundaries. Wet grinding resulted in deposition on the ridges and valleys of rough surface and ridges of smooth surface. The nucleation density was in the order of 10⁶?nuclei/cm² in RDE and Hull cell tests, and 10⁵ nuclei/cm² in stationary electrode tests. Used industrial blanks did not show the same deposition patterns on grain boundaries and scratch marks, and copper deposited on edges of larger damages. The nucleation density on industrial blanks was in the order of 10³?nuclei/cm².     

Preparation and characterization of n-alkanoic acid self-assembled monolayers adsorbed on 316L stainless steel

The electrochemical formation and characterization of decanoic, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acid self-assembled monolayers on a native oxide surface of 316L stainless steel have been studied. This work describes a new approach to surface modification of stainless steel in which the self-assembly of n-alkanoic acids is facilitated by applying a potential to the stainless steel in an organic electrolyte solution. While decanoic acid forms a disorganized monolayer as a result of sweeping the potential in an acetonitrile solution containing 0.1 mM of the respective acid, longer acids, that is, myristic and palmitic acids, form highly ordered closed-packed monolayers. This electrochemical approach results in highly reproducible monolayers that are deposited within a shorter time than the traditional assembly process. The monolayers were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, double-layer capacity (ac voltammetry), contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and external reflection-absorption Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The utilization and implications of this modification technique are discussed.     

Surface modification of functional self-assembled monolayers on 316L stainless steel via lipase catalysis

Lipase catalyzed esterification of therapeutic drugs to functional self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on 316L stainless steel (SS) after assembly has been demonstrated. SAMs of 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (-COOH SAM) and 11-mercapto-1-undecanol (-OH SAM) were formed on 316L SS, and lipase catalysis was used to attach therapeutic drugs, perphenazine and ibuprofen, respectively, on these SAMs. The reaction was carried out in toluene at 60 degrees C for 5 h using Novozyme-435 as the biocatalyst. The FTIR spectra after surface modification of -OH SAMs showed the presence of the C=O stretching bands at 1745 cm(-1), which was absent in the FTIR spectra of -OH SAMs. Similarly, the FTIR spectra after the reaction of the -COOH SAM with perphenazine showed two peaks in the carbonyl region, a peak at 1764 cm(-1), which is the representative peak for the C=O stretching for esters. The second peak at 1681 cm(-1) is assigned to the C=O stretching of the remaining unreacted terminal COOH. XPS spectra after lipase catalysis with ibuprofen showed a photoelectron peak evolving at 288.5 eV which arises from the carbon (C=O) of the carboxylic acid of the drug (ibuprofen). Similarly for -COOH SAMs, after esterifiation we see a small, photoelectron peak evolving at 286.5 eV which corresponds to the C in the methylene groups adjacent to the oxygen (C-O), which should evolve only after the esterification of perphenazine with the -COOH SAM. Thus, lipase catalysis provides an alternate synthetic methodology for surface modification of functional SAMs after assembly.     

Corrosion behavior of 316 stainless steel for advanced high-temperature water-cooled nuclear plant

Corrosion occurs widely in the supercritical water system materials under high temperature and pressure. To select reliable candidate materials, corrosion behavior of many alloys was investigated. This study focused on investigating the corrosion behavior of 316 stainless steel (316 SS) in supercritical water (798 K/24 MPa). After exposed to SCW for 200 h, the oxidation kinetics, surface morphology, and diffusion of elements were investigated by weight measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface of 316 SS showed isolated and discontinued oxide scales. The oxide scale was determined to be a monolayer layer, and the main composition was determined to be Fe–Cr-rich spinel with a few amounts of magnetite attached to the surface. A few pores due to pitting corrosion were found on the surface, and the oxidation mechanism was also investigated.     

n-Alkanoic acid monolayers on 316L stainless steel promote the adhesion of electropolymerized polypyrrole films

The formation of a self-assembled monolayer significantly promotes the adhesion of electrodeposited polypyrrole on stainless steel. The monolayer affects the nucleation and growth mechanism of polypyrrole as a result of its hydrophobic nature. This was confirmed by analyzing current-time transients of the initial stages of electropolymerization and was in agreement with AFM images.     

Effects of cyclonic plasma deposited organosilicon nano-coating on 316 stainless steel and its surface characterization

Cyclonic atmospheric pressure plasma is developed to synthesize the organosilicon nano-coating on 316 L stainless steel surface with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSN) and HMDSN/N₂ monomers. The modified 316 L stainless steel surface characteristics of cyclonic plasma deposited organosilicon nano-coating were evaluated by the static contact angle measurement, FTIR, SEM, AFM, and XPS detections. The chemical analysis with FTIR and XPS depicts that cyclonic plasma deposited nano-coating obtains the relatively inorganic characteristics. The surface morphological determination with SEM and AFM refers cyclonic plasma deposited 316 L stainless steel surface roughness alteration with switching monomer inputs. This study shows the potential of chamber-less deposition to create the plasma deposited organosilicon nano-coating for 316 L stainless.     

Analysis of the oxidation process of powders and sinters of the austenitic stainless steel

Nowadays, austenitic stainless steels due to its properties are widely used in various applications. In powder metallurgy technology, one of the key factors, affecting the pressing process, the sintering phenomena and the final properties of sintered parts, is the shape and particle size of the powders. The article presents the results focused on analysis of the oxidation process of austenitic stainless steel. Powders of the same chemical composition, however of different shapes, depending on the manufacturing technique, i.e. spherical after inert gas atomization and sponge after water atomization, were investigated. Moreover, the influence of particles’ size from different ranges 40–56 and 80–100 µm on the oxidation behaviour was analysed. Thermal measurements, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry, were performed by the STA 409 CD (Netzsch) advanced coupling techniques. Moreover, dilatometry technique has been used for the analysis of the influence of the size and shape of particles on the sintering process. Sinters oxidation phenomena have also been determined. Based on the obtained results, it was found that both shape and size of powders have a significant influence on the oxidation processes of powders as well as sinters of the austenitic stainless steel.     

Influence of minor alloying elements on the initial stages of oxidation of austenitic stainless steel materials

Surface oxidation of Fe‐19Cr‐17Ni, Fe‐19Cr‐18Ni‐1Al and TiC‐enriched Fe‐19Cr‐18Ni‐1Al alloys was investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). The experiments were conducted at 323 K in pure O₂ (2.7 × 10^?6 mbar). Composition and morphology of the nanoscale surface oxides were determined quantitatively by inelastic electron background analysis. Moreover, use of synchrotron radiation facilities were necessary to obtain improved sensitivity for studying minor alloying elements such as Al and Si. The results indicate oxygen‐induced segregation of Al, which significantly hinders the oxidation of the major alloying elements Fe and Cr. Ti remains in its inert carbide form. The relative concentration of Fe within the oxide layer was found to increase with the oxide‐layer thickness, indicating greater mobility of Fe relative to other alloying elements. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of acetohydroxamic acid on stainless steel corrosion in nitric acid

We present the first study of the effect of acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) on the corrosion behaviour of stainless steels. Particularly, studies have been performed using steels and physico-chemical conditions equivalent to those proposed for use in advanced nuclear reprocessing platforms. In these, AHA has been shown to have little effect on either steel passivation or reductive dissolution of both SS304L and SS316L. However, under transpassive dissolution conditions, AHA while in part electrochemically oxidised to acetic acid and nitroxyl/hydroxylamine, also complexes with Fe^3 +, inhibiting secondary passivation and driving transpassive dissolution of both steels.     

Inhibition effect of butan-1-ol on the corrosion behavior of austenitic stainless steel (Type 304) in dilute sulfuric acid

The electrochemical behavior of austenitic stainless steel (Type 304) in 3 M sulfuric acid with 3.5% recrystallized sodium chloride at specific concentrations of butan-1-ol was investigated with the aid of potentiodynamic polarization, open circuit measurement and weight loss technique. Butan-1-ol effectively inhibited the steel corrosion with a maximum inhibition efficiency of 78.7% from weight-loss analysis and 80.9% from potentiodynamic polarization test at highest concentration studied. Adsorption of the compound obeyed the Freundlich isotherm. Thermodynamic calculations reveal physiochemical interactions and spontaneous adsorption mechanism. Surface characterizations showed the absence of corrosion products and topographic modifications of the steel. Statistical analysis depicts the overwhelming influence and statistical significance of inhibitor concentration on the inhibition performance.     

Effect of atomization on surface oxide composition in 316L stainless steel powders for additive manufacturing

The initial oxide state of powder is essential to the robust additive manufacturing of metal components using powder bed fusion processes. However, the variation of the powder surface oxide composition as a function of the atomizing medium is not clear. This work summarizes a detailed surface characterization of three 316L powders, produced using water atomization (WA), vacuum melting inert gas atomization (VIGA), and nitrogen atomization (GA). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy analyses were combined to characterize the surface state of the powders. The results showed that the surface oxides consisted of a thin (~4 nm) iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) layer with particulate oxide phases rich in Cr, Mn, and Si, with a varying composition. XPS analysis combined with depth-profiling showed that the VIGA powder had the lowest surface coverage of particulate compounds, followed by the GA powder, whereas the WA powder had the largest fraction of particulate surface oxides. The composition of the oxides was evaluated based on the XPS analysis of the oxide standards. Effects of Ar sputtering on the peak positions of the oxide standards were evaluated with the aim of providing an accurate analysis of the oxide characteristics at different etch depths.     

Improvement of pitting corrosion resistance of a biomedical grade 316LVM stainless steel by electrochemical modification of the passive film semiconducting properties

In the present paper we show that a significant improvement in pitting corrosion resistance of a biomedical grade stainless steel, 316LVM, can be achieved by the formation of a surface passive oxide film under cyclic potentiodyanamic polarization (passivation) conditions. A complete absence of pitting in physiological simulating solutions was demonstrated, while the electrochemically formed passive film maintained its very high pitting resistance even at higher chloride concentrations in the bulk solution. The improvement in the film’s pitting corrosion resistance was correlated with its semiconducting properties.