Electron Beam Surface Treatment of 316L Austenitic Stainless Steel: Improvements in Hardness, Wear, and Corrosion Resistance

The present work discusses changes in hardness, wear, and corrosion behavior of electron beam (EB) surface treated (or simply, EB treated) 316L austenitic stainless steel (ASS) vis-à-vis the as-received material. Due to rapid solidification within the EB treated region, a fine dendritic structure develops within the surface and sub-surface of the EB treated material, which accounts for its superior hardness, wear, and corrosion behavior. The surface microhardness of the EB treated material is 22% enhanced than that of the as-received material. The cumulative wear depth of the EB treated material is 77% lower than the as-received material. An improvement in corrosion potential and an order of magnitude reduction in equilibrium corrosion current density are observed following EB treatment. The results of the present study suggest that EB treatment can be effectively used to enhance the surface properties of the selected ASS by microstructural refinement of the surface and sub-surface of the material. Graphic Abstract