Microstructure and corrosion characteristics of 304 stainless steel laser-alloyed with Cr-CrB2

Alloyed layers on 304 SS blades with Cr-CrB2 powders were fabricated by laser surface alloying. Microstructure evolution, element and phase distribution, microhardness and corrosion performance of the alloyed layers were investigated. Corrosion potentials of all alloyed layers are higher than that of 304 SS. Most of the alloyed layers have lower corrosion current densities than 304 SS does. All alloyed layers fabricated at laser power 2.5 kW show improved corrosion resistance and significantly improved microhardness and wear resistance. Improvement of the above-mentioned properties is attributed to the unique mechanical properties of various microstructures and chemical composition in the laser treated layers.