Room temperature corrosion behaviour of plastically deformed AISI 304 stainless steel by friction stir welding in neutral and acidified chloride solutions

ABSTRACT Severe plastic deformation of 304L stainless steel plate was carried out by friction stirring under an isothermal tool temperature at 825°C. The friction stirred zone showed extensive grain refinement, high fraction of low angle grain boundaries due to dislocation rearrangement, Σ3 and Σ9 special grain boundaries and discrete Fe–Cr–Mn-rich particles. Electrochemical polarisation measurements were done on the base metal (BM) and friction stir welded (FSW) specimens in the neutral and acidified 3.5% NaCl solutions. The BM showed marginally better pitting resistance in the neutral chloride solution than the FSW because of a larger fraction of special grain boundaries, and larger grain size. Whereas in acidified 3.5% NaCl solution, the FSW showed better corrosion resistance than the BM. The surface film of the FSW had a lower impedance and a lower defect concentration than the BM indicating higher diffusivity of point defects in the FSW.