Effect of Mesoporous Structure on Corrosion Behavior of Metal-Fused Filament-Fabricated 316L Stainless Steel
摘要
Additive manufacturing technology is being employed in the medical industry to create complex shape of specimens composed by polymer, metal, and ceramic materials. The effects of post-processes such as heat treatment and mesoporous structure formation are not investigated in detail on the 3D-printed degradable materials. In this work, the stainless steel 316L components have been fabricated using metal-fused filament fabrication process. The printed components were involved in post-processes such as debinding (at 427 °C) and sintering (at 1350 °C) in a high-temperature furnace. Subsequently, the sintered specimens were heat-treated at 850 °C in the same furnace to relieve stresses, thereby enhancing overall mechanical stability and minimizing the risk of warping or cracking. Thereafter, the mesoporous structure has been formed over the heat treated specimens using different electrolyte solution. The specimen’s surfaces were created to resemble a mesoporous structure in the range from 2 to 50 nm using controlled anodization process. The corrosion behavior of the heat treated as well as mesoporous formed specimens was analyzed using potentiodynamic polarization test with simulated body fluid. Results of the research suggest that the mesoporous surface could obtain a better corrosion resistance and an extensive surface area when heat treated at 850 °C for 2 h to meet biomedical application.