Effect of B addition on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of S31254 super austenitic stainless steels after solid solution treatment

•B addition of S31254 stainless steels promotes the redissolution of σ phases.•B addition of S31254 stainless steels improves the pitting corrosion resistance.•B addition of S31254 stainless steels improves the intergranular corrosion resistance.•The optimum solid solution condition for B-containing S31254 is at 1200 °C for 2 h.•The passive films of S31254 with B have increased Cr2O3 and Mo-riched oxides. The effects of B on microstructure, pitting and intergranular corrosion in solution-annealed S31254 super austenitic stainless steels were systemically investigated. After solid solution treatment at 1200 °C for different time, the precipitation and grain size of S31254 with and without B steels were analyzed. Addition of B to S31254 promotes the redissolution of detrimental sigma (σ) phases, and the optimum solid solution condition for B-containing S31254 is at 1200 °C for 2 h. The S31254 steels with B after solid solution treatment exhibited much better corrosion resistance than that without B, which is relative to the elimination of destructional σ precipitates and the decrease of chromium-depleted region near the grain boundary. Moreover, the passive films of samples with B have increased Cr2O3 and Mo-rich oxides, which may be responsible for the improvement of corrosion resistance.