Dynamic evolution of oxide film on selective laser melted Ti–6Al–4V alloy

Abstract The oxide film growth on Ti–6Al–4V alloy is a dynamic process due to the coexisting and competing dissolution of oxides, which significantly affects the corrosion and applications of Ti–6Al–4V alloys. In this paper, the components and semiconductor characteristics of the oxide films on the surface of the selective laser melted (SLM) Ti–6Al–4V alloys were analyzed. The growth and evolution mechanism of the oxide films were proposed. From electrochemical analysis, the SLM-produced Ti–6Al–4V was more resistant to corrosion in course of the seawater immersion than the wrought Ti–6Al–4V, and the two tested alloys showed difference in performance with immersion time increasing. A film resistance increase was observed in the SLM-produced alloy, indicating the formation of a TiO2 barrier layer.