Effects of cooling rate on mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of vacuum sintered powder injection molded 316L stainless steel

This study presents the results of corrosion behavior of powder injection molded 316L stainless steel parts sintered in vacuum. The feedstocks of metal powder and plastic binder were prepared and their viscosity was measured. Green samples were injection molded and binder was removed from the green parts. Brown test parts were sintered at 1325 °C with heating rate of 5 °C/min and 10 °C/min for 2 h followed by the same cooling rate. Corrosion response of the sintered test samples was measured by weight loss method in Ringer's Solution of pH 7.4 for 15 days. The test samples using cooling rate 10 °C/min showed higher mechanical properties and improved corrosion resistance compared to those sintered at low heating and cooling rate. High cooling rate reduced the evaporation of Cr and developed passive chromium oxide layer on the test samples resulting improved corrosion resistance.