Corrosion Behavior of Harmonic Structured 316L Stainless Steel in 3.5% NaCl and Simulated Body Fluid Solution

Corrosion behavior of a 316L stainless steel with harmonic microstructure was studied and compared with a sintered non-harmonic and a conventional (wrought) 316L stainless steel in 3.5% NaCl and Hanks' solution. The study was performed using linear polarization, dynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The harmonic, conventional and non-harmonic 316L stainless steels showed similar corrosion resistance in both the solutions. However, the harmonic steel showed better passivation behavior as compared to that of the wrought and sintered non-harmonic steel. Harmonically distributed fine grains and higher twin boundary fraction were attributed to the improvement in its passivation behavior.