Industrial Applications and Uses of Molybdenum

Molybdenum and its alloys are widely used in industrial applications. The properties that have made molybdenum and molybdenum alloys most attractive are as follows:

(i) high strength combined with high stiffness in high temperatures; (ii) good thermal conductivity; (iii) low coefficient of linear thermal expansion;(iv) low electrical resistivity; (v) low vapor pressure at high temperature; (vi) good resistance to abrasion and wear; (vii) gelatively good oxidation resistance combined with a high corrosion resistance in many harsh environments; and finally(viii) good ductility, machinability, and workability.

Moreover, today a considerable fabrication and manufacturing knowledge base allows these alloys to be fabricated into useful parts and components. Therefore, combinations of these valuable properties and characteristics predict increasing uses in the electronics and aerospace industries owing to the requirement that materials maintain reliability under oxidizing and high temperature conditions.

Industrial Applications and Uses

Metallurgy

Molybdenum is widely used as an alloying element in cast irons and steels. This utilization of Mo in iron- and steelmaking accounts for 12% of total molybdenum consumption. While consumption of molybdenum in heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant alloys such as stainless steels accounts for 34%.

Finally, the use of molybdenum in nonferrous metallurgy such as in nickel-based alloys like Hastelloys® or superalloys represents 33%. Actually, molybdenum increases toughness, strength, stiffness, creep resistance, abrasion, and corrosion resistance. Indeed molybdenum is a valuable alloying agent that contributes to the hardenability and toughness of quenched and tempered steels. Almost all ultrahighstrength steels contain molybdenum in amounts of 0.25 to 8 wt.%. It also improves the strength of steel at high temperatures.

Catalysts

Catalytic applications are the most important chemical end use for molybdenum, accounting for ca. 8% of molybdenum consumption, and demand in this application is expected to grow.

Conclusion

Molybdenum is largely used in steel industry.Its compounds are widely used incoloring agents, solid lubricants and ascatalysts. In the form of ferromolybdenum for manufg special steels for tools, boiler plate, rifle barrels, propeller shafts; electrical contacts, spark plugs, x-ray tubes, filaments, screens and grids for radio tubes; in the production of tungsten; glass-to-metal seals; nonferrous alloys; in colloidal form as lubricant additive.