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Molybdenum grade Alloy Steels & Irons

Molybdenum is used efficiently and economically in alloy steel & iron to

  • improve hardenability
  • reduce temper embrittlement
  • resist hydrogen attack & sulphide stress cracking
  • increase elevated temperature strength
  • improve weldability, especially in high strength low alloy steels (HSLA)

In the present section the focus is on grades and properties of Mo containing alloy steel and iron. End uses cover the whole world of engineered products for:

  • Automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft and aerospace
  • Drilling, mining, processing
  • Energy generation, including boilers, steam turbines and electricity generators
  • Vessels, tanks, heat exchangers
  • Chemical & Petrochemical processing
  • Offshore; Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)

In most cases molybdenum is needed to meet the high end of the application properties, which is accomplished with comparatively small molybdenum additions. In fact, with the exception of High Speed Steel and Maraging Steel the Mo content often ranges between 0.2 and 0.5% and rarely exceeds 1%.

Properties of Molybdenum
 Typical % Mo content
Heat Treatable Engineering Steel 0.25 - 0.5
Case Hardened Steel 0.15 - 0.5
High Temperature Steel 0.3 - 1.2
Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG) 0.3 - 1.0
HSLA Steel 0.15 - 0.25
Maraging Steels 4.0 - 5.0
Tool & High Speed Steel 0.5 - 9.0
Cast Iron 1.0 -3.0