Industrial Applications of Refractory Metal Molybdenum

Definition: Molybdenum is a kind of silver-white metal, belonging to the refractory metal category. It is hard and tough, and is free from the erosion of the air at room temperature. It doesn’t have chemical reaction with hydrochloric acid or hydrofluoric acid.

Discovery: Molybdenum was first discovered in 1782 When Swedish scientist Elm linseed oil blended charcoal and molybdic acid mixture for sealed burning.

Application: Molybdenum is mainly used in the steel industry (80%), followed by its applications in chemical field, which roughly accounts for 10%. In addition, molybdenum is also used in electrical and coating technology, medicine and agriculture and other fields.

Molybdenum in the coating industry

With the rapid development of the electronic information industry, the application of molybdenum as a sputtering target has increased linearly. Sputtering targets are the basis for obtaining film materials. With the development of film science and the continuous improvement of film technology, the research of target materials has made great progress. Applications for sputtering targets include flat panel displays, semiconductors, magnetic recording memories, optical recording memories, solar machinery, automotive, glass, and decorative industries.

Molybdenum in the steel industry

In the steel sector, molybdenum is mainly used in the production of alloy steel, stainless steel, tool steel, high speed steel, cast iron and rolls. The use of molybdenum as an additive can increase the strength and toughness of the steel, corrosion resistance and wear resistance, and improve the hardenability, weldability and heat resistance of the steel. The formation of a molybdenum alloy by adding other elements such as molybdenum-niobium alloy and TZM alloy to molybdenum has better performance than pure molybdenum.

Molybdenum in the chemistry industry

In the chemical field, molybdenum can be used as a corrosion inhibitor for lubricants, catalysts, pigments, flame retardants and smoke suppressants, as well as organic polymers. The main products include molybdenum dioxide, molybdenum yellow, molybdate, ammonium paramolybdate.

Molybdenum in the electronics and electrical industry

Molybdenum has good electrical conductivity and high-temperature resistance. Its coefficient of thermal expansion is similar to that of glass. It is widely used in the production of core wires, leads, hooks and other components of spiral filaments. Molybdenum wire is also the ideal electrode wire for cutting machine tools, which can cut a variety of steel and hard alloy. Stable processing can effectively improve the accuracy of the mold.

Molybdenum in the biological industry

Molybdenum is one of the essential trace elements in the human body. The appropriate amount of molybdenum can promote the development of the human body, enhance the storage of oxygen in the body, and inhibit tumors. Ammonium molybdate is used as an active ingredient of a drug. In animal bodies, molybdenum is a molybdenum enzyme composition. Adding molybdenum additives to the feed can meet the needs of the animal. Molybdenum is also one of the essential trace elements for plant growth. The use of ammonium molybdenum seeding can greatly increase flower yield.

Refractory Molybdenum is a member of Stanford Advanced Materials and we supply people and companies with Molybdenum all over the world. For more information, please visit our official website www.samaterials.com.