Stainless steel
- Molybdenum improves the corrosion resistance and high temperature strength of all stainless steels. It has a particularly strong positive effect on pitting and crevice corrosion resistance in chloride-containing solutions, making it essential in chemical and other processing applications.
- Molybdenum-containing stainless steels are exceptionally resistant to corrosion and are commonly used in architecture, building and construction, giving great design flexibility and extended design lives.
- A wide range of products are manufactured from molybdenum-containing stainless steel for increased protection against corrosion, including structural components, roofing, curtain walls, handrails, swimming pool liners, doors, light fitments and sunscreens.
Superalloys
These comprise of corrosion resistant alloys and high temperature alloys:
- Corrosion resistant nickel-based alloys containing molybdenum are used in applications exposed to highly corrosive environments in a wide range of process industries and applications, including the flue gas desulfurization units used to remove sulfur from power station emissions.
- High temperature alloys are either solid-solution strengthened, which provide resistance to damage caused by high temperature creep, or age-hardenable, which provide additional strength without significantly reducing ductility and are very effective in reducing the coefficient of thermal expansion.
Alloy steels
- Just a small amount of molybdenum improves hardenability, reduces temper embrittlement and boosts resistance to hydrogen attack and sulfide stress cracking.
- The added molybdenum also increases elevated temperature strength and improves weldability, especially in high strength low alloy (HSLA) steels. These high performance steels are used in a variety of applications, from lightweighting cars to improved efficiency in buildings, pipelines and bridges, saving both the quantity of steel required and the energy and emissions associated with its production, transportation and fabrication.
Other uses
Specialized examples of molybdenum uses include:
- Molybdenum-based alloys, which have excellent strength and mechanical stability at high temperatures (up to 1900°C) in non-oxidizing or vacuum environments. Their high ductility and toughness provide a greater tolerance for imperfections and brittle fracture than ceramics.
- Molybdenum-tungsten alloys, noted for exceptional resistance to molten zinc
- Molybdenum-25% rhenium alloys, used for rocket engine components and liquid metal heat exchangers which must be ductile at room temperature
- Molybdenum clad with copper, for making low expansion, high conductivity electronic circuit boards
- Molybdenum oxide, used in the production of catalysts for the petrochemical and chemical industries, widely deployed in the refining of crude oil to reduce the sulphur content of refined products
- Chemical molybdenum products used in polymer compounding, corrosion inhibitors and high-performance lubricant formulations