How to distinguish 201 and 304 stainless steel?

201 and 304, as our common industrial stainless steels, are widely used in various fields. Most pots, pans, thermos cups and other stainless steel products on the market use these two types of stainless steel. So how to distinguish 201 and 304 stainless steel?

How to distinguish 201 and 304 stainless steel?

Although 201 stainless steel and 304 stainless steel are both labeled as “stainless steel”, the differences between the two can be distinguished in terms of composition, corrosion resistance, use environment, price, etc.

First of all, in terms of composition, usually the chromium and nickel content of 201 stainless steel is around 17% and 4.5%, and the chromium and nickel content of 304 stainless steel is around 18% and 8%. Since chromium and nickel elements have good oxidation resistance, and The higher the chromium and nickel content in stainless steel, the stronger the oxidation resistance. Therefore, compared with 304 stainless steel, 201 stainless steel is more likely to rust after being used for a period of time.

Moreover, compared to 201 stainless steel, 304 stainless steel does not contain manganese. In terms of appearance, 304 stainless steel appears smoother and brighter than 201 stainless steel.

Secondly, in terms of corrosion resistance, 304 stainless steel has a higher nickel content than 201 stainless steel, so it has better corrosion resistance than 201 stainless steel, and can remain stable in complex environments such as acids, alkalis, and salts.

Furthermore, in terms of usage environment, 201 stainless steel has a low nickel content and is suitable for environments that do not require high corrosion resistance, such as ordinary home buildings, mildly corrosive environments, etc., and is widely used in architectural decoration, railings, and sinks. and other daily necessities.

304 stainless steel has a higher nickel content and stronger anti-corrosion properties. It is mostly used in environments that require high corrosion resistance, such as food, chemical, marine, pharmaceutical and other industrial fields. It is widely used in tableware, medical equipment, kitchenware, It has a wider range of applications in various daily necessities such as water pipes.

Finally, in terms of price, due to the high chromium and nickel content and complex processing technology of 304 stainless steel, the price of stainless steel of the same tonnage is much higher than that of 201 stainless steel. Therefore, distinguishing the difference between 201 stainless steel and 304 stainless steel will help us choose appropriate stainless steel products according to actual needs in our lives.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading our article and we hope it can help you to have a better understanding of how to distinguish 201 and 304 stainless steel. If you are looking for stainless steel suppliers and manufacturers online now, we advise you to visit Sino Stainless Steel for more information.

As a leading supplier of stainless steel from Shanghai China, Sino Stainless Steel offers customers high-quality 201 stainless steel and 304 stainless steel products at a very competitive price.