AVAILABLE IN MANY FORMS
Future Alloys can provide the Highest Quality Pure molybdenum materials in many forms including:
Molybdenum Block, Rod, Bar, Strip, Sheet, Plate, Wire, Cube, Crucibles and Ingots.
We can supply be-spoke sizes and our sales team have many years of experience and can offer you technical information and advice for all the materials we deal with.
CUSTOM MACHINING
Do you have a special application for molybdenum that needs custom machining?
Special cutters, feeds and cutting fluids are essential to complete molybdenum machining without a detrimental effect to the material.
Future alloys have all the experience and equipment necessary to precision machine molybdenum and molybdenum Alloys to the highest specifications.
Please be as specific as possible, for example:
“Please quote for 8 off, 30mm diameter ASTM B 387 molybdenum rods, in 1m lengths”
Pure Molybdenum has a high melting point and the ability to maintain its hardness and a low rate of expansion at very high temperatures. It has excellent thermal conductivity, resistance to corrosion and wear and high stiffness. Molybdenum is an important alloying agent in steels, because it increases their toughness, corrosion resistance and weldability. Key attributes include:
Name: Molybdenum ( ASTM B 387 TYPE 361 )
Symbol: Mo
Type: Refractory Metal
Atomic Number: 42
Atomic Mass: 95.94 g
Period number: 5
CAS No. 7439-98-7
Melting point: 2610°C +- 10 °C
Hardness: 200 – 300 DPH
Density: 10.14 g/ cm³
Thermal expansion: 4.80 µm/(m·K)
Thermal conductivity 0.34 cal/cm/s/ c at 20 °C
Number of Neutrons: 54
Classification: Transition metal
Crystal structure: Body Centered Cubic (BCC)
Pure Molybdenum is a silverish grey metal and one of the elements of the periodic table.
With a high melting point (4753°F) it has the ability to maintain its hardness and has a low rate of expansion at very high temperatures. It has excellent thermal conductivity, resistance to corrosion and wear, and high stiffness.
Molybdenum is a refractory metal that is often used as an alloying agent for stainless and structural steel to make super alloys. Its physical characteristics are very similar to chromium ( Cr) and tungsten (W).
Processed molybdenum is used primarily as an alloy to produce high strength structural steels in the construction industry (approximately 35%), around 25% is used to enhance the properties of stainless steels, the chemical industry uses around 14%, pure metal applications occupy 6%, formation of superalloys 5%, cast iron 6%, tool and high speed steels around 9%.
Molybdenum is an important alloying agent in steels, because it increases their toughness, corrosion resistance and weldability. About 80% of moly is used in the manufacturing of a variety of steels, such as stainless steels, structural steels, high-speed steels and tool steels.
Structural steels take up around 35% of total molybdenum consumption. It is used in structural steels due to its ability to enhance corrosion resistance, strength and durability. Corrosion resistant steels are used in a wide range of water based environment applications such as oil rigs, and oil and gas pipelines.
Stainless steels use around 25% of the molybdenum supply, which enhances the metal’s ability to strengthen and prevent corrosion. Typical applications include pharmaceutical and chemical mills, chemical transportation, nuclear power plant clean rooms, sanitation systems and many others.
High-speed steels consume 9% of the molybdenum processed, with superalloys accounting for 5%. Molybdenum added to these steels can improve their hardness and resistance to wear and toughness at high temperatures. High-speed steels are used to produce cutting tools and drills, and superalloys are used in the manufacture of turbochargers, jet engines, exhaust manifolds and power generation turbine blades.
Approximately 6% of the molybdenum produced every year goes into increasing the hardness, strength, temperature and pressure resistance of cast iron that is used to produce engine cylinder heads, engine blocks and vehicle exhaust manifolds.
The unique properties of molybdenum make it particularly suitable for applications requiring stability at high temperatures such as for aviation, lighting, welding, rocket engines, precision measurement equipment and many others.
As a valuable alloying agent molybdenum is used to make tempered and quenched steel tougher, which makes it a must have component in all high strength steels used for construction applications such as bridges and buildings. It also improves the corrosion and heat resistance of steels.
Stainless steel is used in all aspects of architecture, building and construction projects and it’s use and range of applications has been growing. The number of different stainless steel alloys used in building and construction has increased rapidly. Highly alloyed molybdenum comprising stainless steels are preferred by top architectural and landscape design firms and structural engineering companies for use in more corrosive locations. This is due to their enhanced corrosion resistance.
The automotive industry has been increasing its use of advanced and ultra high-strength steels (AHSS, UHSS) which contain molybdenum in vehicle bodies and structural components, hence driving down overall vehicle weight and increasing vehicle safety. Molybdenum and its alloys are increasingly being used for engine blocks, the body and structural components, wheels, exhaust manifolds, and high-performance motor oils.
Engines are beginning to see the introduction of molybdenum as operating temperatures increase, and as strength to weight ratio requirements become more demanding. These advanced high strength steels are the next generation which will overtake the use of mild carbon steel in automotive applications. The benefits include an increase in fuel efficiency and improved crash safety test ratings. Manufactures can also improve profit margins by reducing their overall tonnage of steel purchased. Molybdenum-coated pistons are also being introduced into modern car engines.
The applications of structural molybdenum seem almost unlimited throughout the vehicle and include car sub-frames, frame rails and cross members, engine cradles, roof rails, body side inners, front rails, front suspension cross members, truck frames, bumper beams, bumper systems, and instrument panel beams.
Diesel engines use cast irons containing up to 0.5 percent molybdenum, mainly in motor blocks and cylinder heads. Auto engine designers are turning to a cast iron called compacted graphite iron (CGI) that can cope with the much higher internal pressures of modern engines. Manufacturers can also reduce engine weight and size because the high strength of CGI allows thinner walls between cylinders. The weight of the cylinder block can be reduced by around 15 percent and this allows more compact engines with higher specific power and torque.
When it comes to flying, the pilot needs a clear vision of everything in front of them regardless of conditions outside. Moly wires are especially useful as heating elements to maintain visibility due to their low rate of expansion. They direct the heat caused by electricity to the windshield where the heat defrosts the material but don’t risk shattering the glass by stressing it through movement.
Aircraft turbine engines designs require robust materials that can withstand high thermal and mechanical stresses. molybdenum alloys play a key part in this.
Molybdenum along with other special metals is used for critical aircraft structural components. Molybdenum Lanthanum Alloy metal dies are used to forge precision fan blades and rotors. High performance molybdenum powders are also used to coat blades and rotors which increases their life. The engine performance is improved, backflow and fuel consumption reduced, and safer engine operation realised through improved reliability.
Around 14% of extracted molybdenum is used for the chemical industry.
Molybdenum compounds are frequently used as catalysts and lubricants in the chemical industry. For example when refining petroleum, sulfur is eliminated by using molybdenum sulfide as a catalyst, plus it is a useful lubricant, especially at high temperatures where oils would decompose. Furthermore, some molybdenum compounds are also used as pigments for plastics, corrosion inhibitors, ceramics and smoke suppressants.
Molybdenum wire is used in conjunction with tungsten filaments for conventional light bulbs. As the electricity flows through the internal components the light bulb heats up. The Molybdenum is typically used for the wires supporting the Tungsten filament because it maintains its rigidity and shape without any expansion at these high temperatures.
Vacuum furnaces help with their airless environments to bond different materials that need a minimum of 1100 C for the chemical reaction to start. The intense heat is something only tungsten and molybdenum can withstand. The medical industry uses its radioactive isotope, molybdenum-99, in order to generate technetium that’s essential for medical imaging.
Nuclear energy applications, as missile and aircraft parts (where high temperature resistance is vital).
Thanks to its corrosion resistance it’s a great surface protector for marine applications, gas and oil pipelines.
Containers, tankers and refuse tankers are made of molybdenum because its strength allows to produce them with thinner walls that can save costs on fuel.
Molybdenum is an important trace element and helps in the conversion of nitrogen into ammonia, therefore it’s a great component for agricultural fertilizers. It’s especially useful for production of cauliflowers.