The main differences between 2-series and 3-series stainless steel lie in their chemical composition, properties, and applications.

2-series stainless steels, such as 201 and 202, primarily contain high levels of manganese and nitrogen, with relatively low or no nickel.
3-series stainless steels, such as 304 and 316, primarily contain chromium and nickel as alloying elements, with a high nickel content. These two different chemical compositions lead to significant differences in their properties and applications.

3-series stainless steels contain higher proportions of chromium and nickel, making them significantly more corrosion-resistant than 2-series stainless steels. This is particularly true in corrosive environments, such as seawater and chemical plants, where 3-series stainless steels perform particularly well. 304 stainless steel is the most common grade, offering excellent corrosion resistance, heat resistance, low-temperature strength, and mechanical properties.

Because of its higher proportions of nickel and chromium, 3-series stainless steels generally offer better overall properties than 2-series stainless steels. While 2-series stainless steels may offer some corrosion resistance in certain situations, they are generally inferior to 3-series stainless steels.

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