What is the difference between 202, 304 and 316 stainless steel?
How the three most-asked austenitic grades differ in chemistry, strength and corrosion resistance, and which service each one suits.
Short answer: all three are austenitic stainless steels, and they differ mainly in how the nickel and molybdenum are balanced. 202 replaces part of the nickel with manganese and nitrogen, which makes it cheaper and gives it higher annealed yield strength but lower corrosion resistance. 304 is the general-purpose grade. 316 adds molybdenum for better resistance to chlorides. Choose by the service environment first and price second.
Side by side
| 202 (S20200) | 304 (S30400) | 316 (S31600) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickel, % | 4.00 to 6.00 | 8.00 to 10.50 | 10.00 to 14.00 |
| Manganese, % | 7.50 to 10.00 | 2.00 max | 2.00 max |
| Chromium, % | 17.00 to 19.00 | 17.50 to 19.50 | 16.00 to 18.00 |
| Molybdenum, % | none specified | none specified | 2.00 to 3.00 |
| Yield strength, annealed, MPa min | 260 | 205 | 205 |
| Tensile strength, annealed, MPa min | 515 | 515 | 515 |
Scroll the table horizontally to see all columns.
Where each is used
- 202: dry, indoor and decorative work such as kitchenware, furniture frames, interior trim and appliance parts.
- 304: food and dairy equipment, architectural work, general fabrication and mild chemical service.
- 316: coastal and marine-splash exposure, chloride-bearing process lines, pharmaceutical and chemical equipment.
What to watch
Pitting resistance rises from 202 to 304 to 316, but the figure for a given environment depends on chloride level, temperature and surface finish, so treat any ranking as a guide rather than a guarantee. Chemistry in the 200 series varies more between mills than in 304 or 316, so the certificate is the evidence of what you received. None of the three suits sustained seawater immersion.
Grades covered
Products covered
Specifying for a live project?
Send the service conditions and we will tell you what we would specify, and what we hold.