Stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of the 2.5%Cr-1%Mo steel fabricated by arc-based directed energy deposition
摘要
Directed energy deposition (DED) has demonstrated advantages over traditional manufacturing routes (e.g., forging), enabling decentralized manufacturing and reducing lead times in on-demand part fabrication. However, for DED technology to be fully integrated into supply chain solutions, parts fabricated via DED must exhibit performance comparable to their wrought counterparts. This is especially critical in sour environments and high-pressure operations, where the susceptibility to catastrophic failure from stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is a major concern. In this context, the present work investigated the SCC susceptibility of 2.5%Cr-1%Mo steel fabricated by arc-based DED in an operational environment (0.2% H2S and 99.8% CO2). Additionally, these results were compared with those of the conventional 2.5Cr-1Mo steel (quenched and tempered). To assess the SCC susceptibility, the slow strain rate testing (SSRT) was employed. Additionally, both materials were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and Vickers microhardness testing. The 2.5Cr-1Mo steel fabricated by arc-based DED exhibited isotropic behavior and lower SCC susceptibility compared to the wrought counterpart. This improved performance was attributed to the fine and non-oriented ferritic microstructure, as well as the absence of tempered martensite. These results reinforce the capacity of 2.5%Cr-1%Mo steel fabricated by arc-based DED to be applied in sour applications, demonstrating that arc-based DED fabricated parts can replace traditional ones in critical engineering applications.