Evaluation of stress-assisted corrosion performance of L-PBF processed Ti6Al4V: A microcapillary electrochemical approach

• Novel use of microcapillary electrochemical technique for stress-corrosion study. • Superior corrosion resistance in L-PBF due to stable, resistant passive layer formation. • Surface roughness dominates over microstructure in influencing corrosion behaviour. • Better corrosion resistance of L-PBF under tensile strain compared to conventional. • L-PBF and conventional resist stress corrosion cracking under tensile deformation. This study investigated the corrosion behaviour of Ti6Al4V alloy fabricated using the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing technique, comparing its performance to conventionally manufactured counterparts. The microcapillary electrochemical method effectively detected even slight changes in corrosion response for both materials under various conditions, including tensile straining, surface roughness, and presence of fluoride ions. Under tensile strain, the L-PBF alloy’s finer grain size and submicron martensitic structure further enhanced its corrosion performance. High fluoride ion concentrations intensified corrosion, with conventional Ti6Al4V exhibiting greater susceptibility to pitting. Notably, both materials displayed exceptional resistance to stress corrosion cracking.