2024 Volume 71 Issue 12 Pages 675-678
Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) is an effective fabrication method for creating complex shapes directly. In order to apply L-PBF for building metallic products in harsh corrosive environments, we have focused on a strategy involving the in-situ formation of a protective oxide layer on L-PBF builds. In this work, SiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly decorated onto the surface of 316L stainless steel powders using a hetero-agglomeration method. The amount of attached SiO2 was increased by utilizing surface-oxidized 316L powders and adjusting the pH values of the liquid solution. Microstructure observations revealed the formation of a (Si, Cr, and Mn)-containing oxide layer on the entire build surface. This surface layer consisted of discontinuous micrometer- and continuous nanometer-order oxide layers in thickness. This study suggests the possibility of in-situ formation of an oxide layer on complex L-PBF shapes, which holds promise for applying L-PBF builds in corrosive environments.
