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This study explores the effect of heat treatment on the microstructural characteristics and corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steels (SSs) produced via laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), focusing on anisotropic corrosion behavior—a relatively less explored phenomenon in LPBF 316L SSs. By systematically analyzing the effects of varying heat treatment temperatures (500 °C, 750 °C, and 1000 °C), this work uncovers critical correlations between microstructural evolution and corrosion properties. The findings include the identification of anisotropic corrosion resistance between horizontal (XY) and vertical (XZ) planes, with the vertical plane demonstrating higher pitting and repassivation potentials but greater post-repassivation current densities. Furthermore, this study highlights reductions in grain size, dislocation density, and melt pool boundaries with increasing heat treatment temperatures, which collectively diminishes corrosion resistance. These insights advance the understanding of processing–structure–property relationships in additively manufactured metals, providing practical guidelines for optimizing thermal post-processing to enhance material performance in corrosive environments. 

Abstract A multiphysics phase field framework for coupled electrochemical and elastoplastic behaviors is presented, where the evolution of complex solid-electrolyte is described by the variation of the phase field variable with time. The solid-electrolyte interface kinetics nonlinearly depends on the thermodynamic driving force and can be accelerated by mechanical straining according to the film rupture-dissolution mechanism. A number of examples in two- and three- dimensions are demonstrated based on the finite element-based MOOSE framework. The model successfully captures the pit-to-crack transition under simultaneous electrochemical and mechanical effects. The crack initiation and growth has been demonstrated to depend on a variety of materials properties. The coupled corrosion and crystal plasticity framework also predict the crack initiation away from the perpendicular to the loading direction.