Improved corrosion and cavitation erosion resistance of laser-based powder bed fusion produced Ti-6Al-4V alloy by pulsed magnetic field treatment

The application of pulsed magnetic field (PMF) treatment demonstrated enhanced corrosion resistance in saline solution and prolonged resistance to cavitation erosion in deionised water for Ti-6AI-4V alloy manufactured by laser-based powder bed fusion (LPBF) and conventional wrought processing methods. The observed outcomes were attributed to the formation of a denser protective surface oxide layer and microstructural changes, resulting in a reduction of the α’ phase by 0.13% and an increase in the presence of dislocations at the surface. Consequently, this led to an increase in the compressive residual stresses. Additionally, the application of this treatment resulted in the formation of highly refined and uniform precipitates, leading to a notable enhancement in microhardness by 5.73% and 5.85% for the conventionally manufactured (CM) and LPBF samples, respectively.