| Abstract Scope |
The additively manufactured 7xxx series aluminum alloys are promising candidates for aerospace industry due to the inherent advantages of additive manufacturing process in addition to the light weight and high strength properties of these alloys. Recent nanoparticle or inoculant addition has mitigated the problems of solidification defects which limited a wider adoption of these alloys. However, the corrosion behavior of these alloys as a function of heat treatment remains largely unexplored. This work aims to understand the microstructure and corrosion behavior of 7050 aluminum alloy, fabricated via Selective Laser Melting(SLM) process, and heat treated with different ageing durations. General and localized corrosion behavior is studied and compared with an equivalent wrought 7050 alloy. The results showed that SLM alloys have less corrosion susceptibility and pitting, in general, compared with the equivalent wrought alloys. The effect of ageing duration on microstructural features, responsible for the difference in corrosion behavior is identified. |