1. Differences between 201 and 202 stainless steel
The differences between 202 and 201 stainless steel are minimal. Both are part of the 200 series stainless steel, and although they are often compared, their properties are not significantly different from those of 304 and 316, which are commonly used in a variety of applications.
Related Reading: 304 vs 316 Stainless Steel
1. Difference in grades.
Grade 202 is 1Cr18Mn8Ni5N and grade 201 is 1Cr17Mn6Ni5N.
2. Composition comparison between 201 and 202 stainless steels:
| Type | W | Mn | P | Yes | Cr | No | s | N |
| 202 | ≤0.15 | ≤7.5-10.0 | ≤0.060 | ≤1.0 | 17.0-19.0 | 4:00-6:00 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.25 |
| 201 | ≤0.15 | 5.5-7.50 | ≤0.060 | ≤0.75 | 13.5-15.0 | 1.02-1.28 | ≤0.030 | ≤0.25 |
Composition Comparison Table of Stainless Steels 202 and 201
3. Price.
If 202 stainless steel meets the national standard, its nickel content will be higher than that of 201 stainless steel, and its price will also normally be higher. It is possible that some sellers on the market claim that their 202 is cheaper than the 201, which may indicate that the 202 they sell is fake or does not meet standard specifications.
4. Application.
Stainless steels 202 and 201 are widely used in various industries, including construction, decoration and others.
2. History of 201 and 202 stainless steel
200 series stainless steel was initially developed in the United States during World War II as a replacement for 300 series stainless steel. At that time, the supply of nickel was limited due to its strategic importance and was strictly controlled by several countries, including the U.S.
To overcome the challenge of producing and supplying stainless steel with limited nickel supply, the United States has developed a new series of austenitic stainless steel with manganese as a nickel substitute.
After the end of World War II, the supply of nickel in the United States gradually improved, and the production of 300 series stainless steel was no longer restricted by raw material shortages. As a result, development of the 200 series was not given much emphasis.
However, some Indian researchers who participated in the development of 200 series stainless steel in the United States brought the technology to India, which was relatively rich in manganese resources but faced a shortage of nickel resources.
The successful application of 200 series stainless steel in India is attributed to its ability to replace 304 stainless steel in specific applications.
3. Advantages and disadvantages of 201 and 202 stainless steel
The main difference between 202 and 201 stainless steel is the price. Generally, 201 is slightly cheaper than 202 stainless steel, but both are significantly cheaper than 304 stainless steel. As a result, 201 and 202 stainless steels are typically used in scenarios where there are low requirements for corrosion resistance and impact resistance, and where their price advantages can be taken advantage of.
In the Chinese market, most 200 series stainless steels are not strictly controlled for sulfur and carbon content according to national standards. Instead, many of these stainless steels replace some or all of the nickel content with manganese (or nitrogen) to create austenitic stainless steels with lower nickel content.
200 series stainless steel, including 201 and 202 stainless steel, has several disadvantages:
- The chromium content in 200 series stainless steel is less than 18%, which cannot reach equilibrium with the low nickel content, resulting in the formation of ferrite. As a result, the chromium content in 200 series stainless steel is typically reduced to 13.5% to 15% and sometimes as low as 13% to 14%. The corrosion resistance of 200 series stainless steel is lower than that of 304 steel or similar.
- The presence of manganese and, in some cases, copper reduces the role of repassivation under acidic conditions common in areas of corrosion and deposition as well as in crevices. The destruction rate of 200 series steel under these conditions is about 10 to 100 times that of 304 stainless steel.
- It is often challenging to control residual sulfur and carbon content during production, and it can be challenging to trace materials back to their source, including recycling 200 series stainless steel materials. If Cr Mn steels are not described, they can become a dangerous raw material mixed with scrap, which can lead to unexpectedly high manganese content in castings.
