| Abstract Scope |
Tantalum is widely recognized for its exceptional corrosion resistance in aggressive environments, making it a material of choice for components in electrorefining processes that utilize molten salts. Traditionally, tantalum components have been fabricated through wrought processing methods, which produce dense and uniform microstructures but can be limited in terms of design flexibility and manufacturing efficiency. Recent advancements in additive manufacturing (AM) offer the potential to fabricate complex tantalum geometries with reduced material waste and lead time. However, the rapid solidification and layer-wise build nature of AM processes can introduce unique microstructural features—such as anisotropy, residual stresses, and porosity—that may influence corrosion behavior. Molten salt electrorefining, a critical process for the recycling and purification of metals, presents a highly corrosive environment due to the presence of halide salts at elevated temperatures. The long-term performance and reliability of tantalum components in these conditions are essential for process efficiency and safety. Despite tantalum’s known corrosion resistance, limited data exist comparing the corrosion performance of additively manufactured tantalum to its wrought counterpart in molten salt environments. This study presents a comparative analysis of the corrosion resistance of LP-DED tantalum and conventional tantalum after exposure to molten salt mixtures used in electrorefining. Microstructural characterization, electrochemical testing, and postexposure surface analysis are conducted to elucidate the influence of manufacturing method on corrosion behavior. The findings aim to inform material selection and processing strategies for advanced molten salt electrorefining systems, assessing the viability of AM tantalum as a high-performance, corrosion-resistant material. |