Insight into the hot corrosion behavior of GH4251 high-temperature superalloy fabricated by selective laser melting

Abstract

In this study, the GH4251 high-temperature superalloy was fabricated using selective laser melting (SLM) and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) post-treatment. The hot corrosion behavior of the SLMed and SLM-HIPed GH4251 was systematically investigated and compared with the as-forged one in a mixed salt of 75 % Na2SO4 and 25 % NaCl at 900 °C. The results indicated that three GH4251 superalloys rank in order of superiority for high-temperature corrosion resistance as follows: SLMed > SLM-HIPed > as-forged. The hot corrosion resistance of the alloy is closely related to its microstructures. A high density and a high proportion of small-angle grain boundaries effectively prevent substrate corrosion from molten salts. High dislocation densities and fine grains can increase the elemental diffusion channels and promote the formation of dense protective oxide films, thereby enhancing the hot corrosion resistance. The SLMed superalloy has high densities, high dislocation densities, a high proportion of small-angle grain boundaries, and an appropriate grain size. This is the reason why the SLMed alloy exhibits the most superior hot corrosion resistance. In addition, the hot corrosion mechanisms of the GH4251 superalloy were also discussed in depth.