Investigation on Microstructure, Nanohardness and Corrosion Response of Laser Cladded Colmonoy-6 Particles on 316L Steel Substrate

Abstract

316L steel is predominantly used in manufacturing the components of high-pressure boilers, heat exchangers, aerospace engines, oil and gas refineries, etc. Its notable percentage of chromium offers resistance against corrosion and is mostly implemented in harsh environments. However, long-term exposure to these components in such environments can reduce their corrosion resistance property. Particularly at high temperatures, the oxide film formed on this type of steel reacts with the chloride, sulfides, sulfates, fluorides and forms intermetallic compounds which affect its resistance, followed by failures and losses. This work is focused on investigating the hardness, microstructure and corrosion resistance of the laser cladded Colmonoy-6 particles on the 316L steel substrate. The cladded specimens were dissected into cubic shapes and the microstructure present in the cladded region was effectively analyzed using the FESEM along with the corresponding EDS mapping. For evaluating the hardness of the cladded samples, the nanoindentation technique was performed using the TI980 TriboIndenter and the values were measured. The potentiodynamic polarization curves were plotted for both the substrate and clad samples at 0, 18, 42 and 70 h for revealing the corrosion resistance behavior. In addition, the EIS analysis was carried out to further confirm the resistance offered by the samples. The surface roughness morphology was evaluated after the corrosion process using the laser microscope, and the roughness values were measured and compared with the substrate samples. The result showed that the cladded samples experience greater hardness, lower values of surface roughness and provide better corrosion resistance when compared with substrate samples. This is due to the deposition of precipitates of chromium-rich carbide and borides that enhances the above properties and forms a stable passive film that resists corrosion during the corrosion process.