An efficient strategy for enhancing the corrosion resistance of S31254 super austenitic stainless steel through slight Mo segregation

Abstract

Super austenitic stainless steel (SASS) is one kind of high Mo-alloy steel with excellent corrosion resistance when applied in an extremely corrosive environment. However, high contents of Cr and Mo tend to form precipitates along the grain boundary at high temperatures, leading to a great deterioration of corrosion resistance. Herein, a method of short-time aging treatment at 500 °C and 550 °C was explored, which was intended to regulate the distribution of elements at grain boundaries to improve corrosion resistance. The results indicate that before the precipitates nucleation, as the temperature rises from 500 °C to 550 °C, the Mo element has obvious diffusion behavior towards the grain boundary. Also, the uniform distribution of a small amount of Mo at the grain boundary can be conducive to improving the corrosion resistance. In addition, B inhibits the separation of Mo to grain boundary and delays the formation of the precipitated phase. The addition of B improves the intergranular corrosion resistance of SASS, especially after aging at 500 °C, which is attributed to the passivated film's Cr2O3 and Mo(VI) content. However, when the aging temperature reaches 550 °C, more Mo segregates to the grain boundaries, resulting in Mo-depleted zones, which decreases corrosion resistance.

Keywords

• Super austenitic stainless steel
• Aging treatment
• B
• Corrosion resistance
• Mo segregation