Fabrication of superhydrophilic surfaces for long time preservation on 316L stainless steel by ultraviolet laser etching

Due to the good biocompatibility, 316L stainless steel is widely used in the manufacture of medical instru-ments and human implants. The super hydrophilic 316L steel surface is used for reducing friction and adhe-sion. By choosing appropriate laser process parameters 316L steel surfaces with super-hydrophilic were ob-tained. The effects of laser process parameters including repeat frequency, pulse width, scanning speed, and the number of scanning were investigated to find the relationship between surface microstructure and wet-ting ability. To investigate the super-hydrophilic maintenance time on the textured surface, the textured sur-faces were preserved in ambident air, distilled water, and absolute ethanol. The results showed that by choosing appropriate laser process parameters surface with super-hydrophilicity can be maintained for 30 days.

Improving the Corrosion Resistance of AISI 316L Steel for Semiconductor Piping by Controlled Delta-Ferrite Content

This study evaluated changes in delta-ferrite content depending on the preheating of AISI 316L stainless steel. We also determined the reasons for the variation in delta-ferrite content, which affects corrosion resistance. Changes in delta-ferrite content after preheating was confirmed using a Feritscope, and the microstructure was analyzed using optical microscopy (OM). We found that the delta-ferrite microstructure size decreased when preheating time was increased at 1295 oC, and that the delta-ferrite content could be controlled through preheating. Potentiodynamic polarization test were carried out in NaCl (0.5 M) + H2SO4 (0.5 M) solution, and it was found that higher delta-ferrite content resulted in less corrosion potential and passive potential. To determine the cause, an analysis was conducted using energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), which confirmed that higher delta-ferrite content led to weaker corrosion resistance, due to Cr degradation at the delta-ferrite and austenite boundaries. The degradation of Cr on the boundaries between austenite and delta-ferrite can be explained by the difference in the diffusion coefficient of Cr in the ferrite and austenite. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of material used for actual semiconductor piping confirmed that corrosion begins at the delta-ferrite and austenite boundaries. These results confirm the need to control delta-ferrite content in AISI 316L stainless steel used for semiconductor piping.

The properties of AISI 316L steel after surface treatment with Ti surface alloy and a-C:H:SiOx coating

The paper presents the research results of corrosion and mechanical properties of the AISI 316L stainless steel after the surface treatment. This treatment includes the formation of the titanium-based surface alloy provided by the low-energy high-current electron beam. The obtained surface alloy used as an underlayer, is then coated with the a-C:H:SiOx film using the PACVD method. It is shown that such a combined treatment of the steel surface improves its corrosion resistance, i. e., reduces the current density from 110-7 to 910-10 A/cm2 and corrosion rate from 1.110-3 to 9.310-6 mm/year. The resulted modified steel surface possesses high mechanical and tribological properties

Theoretical and technological aspects of production mechani‑cally alloyed powders for the production of coatings and products by additive methods

The established regularities of the formation of powders based on iron and nickel, obtained by the method of mechanical alloying and intended for the deposition of thermal spraying coatings, as well as the manufacture of products by layer‑by‑layer synthesis. The structure, phase composition and properties of materials are investigated. Powders consist of particles with a size of 20–70 microns, differ in the submicrocrystalline type structures, and nonequilibrium phase composition. Thermal spray coatings made of them have a set of properties that significantly exceed the properties of coatings made of commercially available materials. The diameter of the grains of the material obtained by the SLМ method from the synthesized powder is 1.5–2.0 times smaller than that produced from the powder of 316L steel, and the heat resistance is higher.

Tribo-Behavior and Corrosion Properties of Welded 304L and 316L Stainless Steel

The present study investigates the electrochemical corrosion response and tribo-behavior of 304L and 316L stainless steel welded by gas metal arc welding (GMAW), which offered a high deposition rate. During this research, the metallurgically prepared welded samples were subjected to a tribological test and a corrosion test. The wear results were favorable for 316L steel, and it showed a lower coefficient of friction than the 304L specimen. These samples also underwent characterization studies, such as X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to identify the different phases obtained on the cooling of the weld pool. Finally, both specimens were compared against their mechanical properties. Owing to the above properties, the 316L sample showed lasting durability, as compared to the 304L steel. The primary compositional difference is the higher presence of molybdenum and chromium in the 316L steel, compared to the 304L stainless steel.

Automated SEM/EDS Analysis for Assessment of Trace Cross-Contamination in 316L Stainless Steel Powders

Following observations of microcracking in two, out of three, Additive manufactured (AM) 316L steel samples, an investigation was undertaken to ascertain the root cause. Welding diagrams, taking into account composition and process parameters, could not generally account for the experimental observations of non-cracked versus cracked AM 316L samples. EBSD phase maps in all three AM samples exhibited a fully austenitic microstructure not only in the bulk sample but also near-surface. Analysis of microcracked regions in the AM samples showed the presence of local enrichment of Ni, Cu and P. Automated SEM/EDS analysis on feedstock powder samples prepared for cross-section examination revealed a fine, foreign particulate contaminant, expected to arise from NiCrCuP alloy cross-contamination during atomization, to be completely embedded in a 316L powder particle. This type of contamination would not have been revealed on examination of powder mounted onto a SEM stub, a common approach to assess powder quality. Based on this analysis, it is recommended to consider including automated SEM/EDS analysis on powder cross-sections in any standardization protocol for quality control of powders, to increase the chances of detection and identification of fine cross-contaminants. It is also recommended that atomization of NiCrCuP alloy should no longer precede atomization of 316L alloy.

Effect of layer thickness on anticorrosive performance of 316L steel coated with bismuth-titanium films

Bismuth and titanium are elements with remarkable properties and applications in technological developments and in the field of biomedical engineering. The sol-gel method was used to form a bismuth-titanium system, which allowed to establish if it was possible to obtain films with anticorrosive properties on 316L stainless steel. The anticorrosive response was evaluated by means of Tafel curves, defining the parameters to obtain thin and functional films with good tribological properties. The coatings were obtained by the spin coating technique, varying the spin speeds from 3000 rpm to 5000 rpm with monolayer and bilayer systems. More positive values of corrosion potential were obtained when the steel is coated by the films, which implies a lower propensity to corrosion in saline medium, lower corrosion rates and higher potentials are reported for films with higher titanium content, likewise, better efficiency of the films with respect to the uncoated substrate is presented, the higher the titanium content and a strong influence between the calculated efficiencies and the centrifugation speeds is not observed.

Micro-Range Actuation by Pressure-Induced Elastic Deformation of 316L Steel Membranes Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

In this paper, fundamental research is performed on membrane type actuators made out of 316L stainless steel, manufactured with Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). A total of six membranes with membrane thicknesses ranging from 0.6 mm up to 1.2 mm were scanned using a high precision metrology system to measure the membrane for displacement at different actuating pressures. The membranes were furthermore investigated for roughness, porosity and thickness. This showed that the thinnest membranes skewed in the print direction when actuated. The remaining membranes achieved higher specific displacements than finite element simulations (FES) predicted, due to surface roughness and porosity. Membrane type actuators can be used for precise actuation within the micrometre range. LPBF allows the creation of internal pockets and membranes in a single metal piece. In opposition to the more commonly used polymers for membrane-type actuators, LPBF steel printed parts offer high stiffness and actuation force. However, due to limitations of the LPBF process on thin walls, large deviations from FES occur. In this paper, a CAD and FES compensation strategy is suggested, which makes future, more complex and effective, designs possible.