Stainless steels are high-alloy steels, which have high corrosion resistance when compared to other steels due to the presence of large amounts of chromium. Based on their crystalline structure, they are further divided into ferritic, austenitic, and martensitic steels. Another group of stainless steels are known as precipitation-hardened steels. They are the combination of martensitic and austenitic steels.

Grade 201 stainless steel has good formability, corrosion resistance, and fabricability. It is similar to that of 301 stainless steel. The following datasheet gives more details about grade 201 stainless steel.

Available forms:  Coils, Sheets, Strips, Welded Tubes, Profiles

Chemical Analysis

Chemical Composition

Element Content (%)
Iron, Fe 72
Chromium, Cr 16.0 – 18.0
Manganese, Mn 5.50 – 7.50
Nickel, Ni 3.50 – 5.50
Silicon, Si 1.0
Nitrogen, N 0.25
Carbon, C 0.15

Physical Properties

The physical properties of grade 201 stainless steel are given in the following table.

Properties Metric Imperial
Density 7.86 g/cm3 0.284 lb/in³

Mechanical Properties

The mechanical properties of annealed grade 201 stainless steel are displayed in the following table.

Properties Metric Imperial
Tensile strength (transverse at room temperature) 685 MPa 99400 psi
Tensile strength (longitudinal at room temperature) 696 MPa 101000 psi
Yield strength (transverse at room temperature) 292 MPa 42400 psi
Yield strength (longitudinal at room temperature) 301 MPa 43700 psi
Compressive yield strength 365 MPa 52900 psi
Elastic modulus 197 GPa 28573 ksi
Poisson’s ratio 0.27-0.30 0.27-0.30
Elongation at break (longitudinal at room temperature) 56% 56%
Elongation at break (transverse at room temperature) 62.50% 62.50%
Hardness, Rockwell B (transverse at room temperature) 85 85
Hardness, Rockwell B (longitudinal at room temperature) 85 85

Thermal Properties

The following table outlines the thermal properties of grade 201 stainless steel.

Properties Metric Imperial
Thermal expansion co-efficient (@ 20-100°C/68-212°F) 16.6 µm/m°C 9.22 µin/in°F
Thermal conductivity (@ 100°C/212°F) 16.3 W/mK 113 BTU in/hr.ft².°F

Usage Areas

  • Railroad and transportation
  • Cryogenic tanks, storage vessels and piping
  • High performance welded structures including those at sub-zero temperatures
  • In general all applications where austenitic grade 1.4318 (Type 301LN) is being used, with the advantage of a price stability due to the lower nickel content.