What is the Difference Between 304 and 202 Stainless Steel

The key difference between 304 and 202 stainless steel is that 304 stainless steel has a high content of chromium and nickel, which makes it less prone to rusting, whereas 202 stainless steel has a low amount of chromium and nickel, which makes it more prone to rusting.

304 stainless steel is a common type of stainless steel consisting of both chromium and nickel metallic elements as the main non-iron components. 202 is a less common type of stainless steel, which is prone to rust.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is 304 Stainless Steel
3. What is 202 Stainless Steel
4. 304 vs 202 Stainless Steel in Tabular Form
5. Summary – 304 vs 202 Stainless Steel

What is 304 Stainless Steel?

304 stainless steel is a common type of stainless steel consisting of both chromium and nickel metallic elements as the main non-iron components. It is the most common form of stainless steel. The content of chromium in this steel ranges between 18% to 20%. The content of nickel ranges between 8% to 10.5%. We can categorize 304 stainless steel as austenitic stainless steel. Usually, this metal alloy is less electrically and thermally conductive compared to carbon steel.

304 stainless steel is magnetic. However, it is comparatively less magnetic compared to steel. Besides, it has a high corrosion resistance compared to regular steel. The 304 stainless steel is used widely due to the ease of formation into various shapes.

W.H. Hatfield developed the composition of 304 stainless steel in 1924. This was marketed using the trade name “Staybrite 18/8” at that time; this name indicates the contents of chromium and nickel. However, outside the USA, this metal alloy is commonly known as A2 stainless steel. When it comes to the commercial cookware industry, it is known as 18/8 stainless steel. In addition to chromium and nickel, 304 stainless steel contains carbon, silicon, manganese, phosphorous, and sulfur as well.

There are different uses of 304 stainless steel: the manufacture of a variety of food handling and processing equipment such as screws, machinery parts, utensils, and car headers, in architecture for exterior accents including water and fire features, etc. This stainless steel form is commonly important in the manufacture of common coil material for the vaporizers.

What is 202 Stainless Steel?

202 stainless steel is a less common type of stainless steel that is prone to rusting. It is also in the austenitic class of metal alloys. Therefore, the microstructure of this stainless steel alloy has a face-centered cubic structure. The 202 stainless steel has manganese and nitrogen in its chemical structure, which is an effective alternative to the high nickel content in the 304 stainless steel structure. However, 202 stainless steel still has some amount of nickel.

This form of stainless steel is important in the manufacture of various kitchen sinks, cookery appliances, hose clamps, restaurant equipment, automobile trim, railway bogeys, trailers, and some architectural treatments such as windows and doors.

Similar to most of the austenitic alloys, 202 stainless steel allows us to weld it by conventional fusion technique. Moreover, it permits the use of resistance methods for the welding process. However, it is not suitable to use the oxyacetylene welding method for this stainless steel.

What is the Difference Between 304 and 202 Stainless Steel?

304 and 202 stainless steel are two types of stainless steel metal alloys. The key difference between 304 and 202 stainless steel is that 304 stainless steel has a high content of chromium and nickel, which makes it less prone to rusting, whereas 202 stainless steel has a low amount of chromium and nickel, which makes it more prone to rusting.

The below infographic presents the differences between 304 and 202 stainless steel in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – 304 vs 202 Stainless Steel

Stainless steel metal alloys are chromium-containing metal alloys. 304 and 202 are two types of stainless steel. The key difference between 304 and 202 stainless steel is that 304 stainless steel has a high content of chromium and nickel, which makes it less prone to rusting, whereas 202 stainless steel has a low amount of chromium and nickel, which makes it more prone to rusting.

Reference:

1. “Grade 304 Stainless Steel: Properties, Fabrication and Applications.” AZoM.com.

Image Courtesy:

1. “304 STAINLESS STEEL PIPE” By Libowei111 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Salad bar” By I, Maderibeyza (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia