Formation of heterogeneous microstructure and its effect on corrosion properties of high-silicon stainless steel S38815 weldment

Abstract

This study aims to clarify the formation of heterogeneous microstructure and its effect on corrosion properties of high-silicon stainless steel (high-Si SS) S38815 weldment. A series of tests about microstructure and electrochemical characteristics were performed, including the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis, Mott-Schottky tests, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests, potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization tests. The formation mechanism of heterogeneous microstructure related to high-silicon and its correlation on corrosion was discussed extensively. The results show that the significantly deformed and recrystallised grains were observed at the low temperature heat affected zone (LT-HAZ) and high temperature heat affected zone (HT-HAZ) respectively. The metastable pitting and low impedance values were formed in the above region, despite their low donor density. The deterioration in corrosion resistance of S38815 weldment as a result of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) and carbides is more pronounced than the beneficial impact of Cr and Si oxidation. This study provides valuable references to the manufacturing and enhancing the anti-corrosion properties of this high-Si SS.