Test the Corrosion Effect on High Hard Steel Armor MIL-DTL-46100 Coated with Stellite 6 Applied by Direct Energy Deposition Method

The U.S. Army - GVSC Materials Characterization and Failure Analysis team conducted a preliminary study in FY18 to address the issue of galvanic and pitting corrosion of U.S. Army ground vehicle system (GVS) structural surfaces. The objective of this study was to develop a permanent coating solution to supplement the existing corrosion protective coating of zinc rich primer and CARC paint, and extend the lifecycle of the armor. Twenty-five permanent, 0.1 inch layer, additively manufactured (AM) coated coupons of deposited Stellite 6 cobalt alloy on MIL-STD-46100 High Hard (HH) armor steel blocks were produced for cyclic testing using an un-optimized set of parameters. These coupons were subjected to a twenty-four week study in accelerated corrosive conditions of a fog spray chamber alongside primer-CARC coated and uncoated coupons. The resulting study showed no signs of pitting corrosion in the surface of the AM coated coupons, and minimal galvanic corrosion.

Citation: I. Toppler, D. Schleh, C. G. Romero, “Test the Corrosion Effect on High Hard Steel Armor MIL-DTL-46100 Coated with Stellite 6 Applied by Direct Energy Deposition Method”, In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 13-15, 2019.