This study aims to investigate the effects of annealing, quenching, and tempering (Q&T) heat treatments on the microstructure, crystallographic orientation, and electrochemical performance of a wall shaped 420 martensitic
stainless steel part fabricated by wire
arc additive manufacturing technology. The formation of a martensitic matrix with delta
ferrite in the as-printed sample, islands of spherical
chromium carbides embedded in a ferritic matrix in annealed sample, and intergranular
chromium-rich carbides along the primary
austenite grain boundaries in addition to intra-lath Fe-rich carbides in the quenching and tempering heat treated sample were detected. To characterize the corrosion performance of the fabricated samples, open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests were performed on all samples in aerated 3.5 wt.% NaCl
electrolyte at room temperature. The corrosion morphology of the as-printed sample was characterized by localized corrosion attacks adjacent to the delta
ferrite phase, while severe pitting occurred in the annealed sample due to the high susceptibility of ferritic matrix-carbide interface to pitting. In contrast to the as-printed and annealed sample, the electrochemical performance of the quenched and subsequently tempered samples was found to be significantly improved, ascribed to elimination of the
chromium depleted regions adjacent to the delta
ferrite phase, and enhanced protectiveness of the passive film on the
alloy's surface.