Molybdenum is a heavy metal that is silvery white in lump form or grayish in
color in powder form. The stretchable and polishable heavy metal is hard and
brittle, but easy to work with. Molybdenum belongs to the group of refractory
metals, i.e. high-melting metals, with a melting point of 2,617 ° C. Molybdenum
is mainly mined in North and South America and China. The metal is mainly
obtained as a by-product in copper production.
Molybdenum - a popular metal for high performance
The high melting and boiling point (4,639 ° C) as well as the good thermal
conductivity with excellent dimensional stability make molybdenum so interesting
for industrial applications, e.g. for melting furnaces, as a stirring tool and
for tools in industrial use. Paired with high corrosion resistance, molybdenum
offers you a high-performance material from which semi-finished products and
tools with a long service life can be manufactured.
Molybdenum is processed into rods, wires, sheets and tubes, which are used, for
example, in the lamp industry, in glass production, as components of jet
engines, rockets and in high-temperature nuclear reactors.
At the same time, molybdenum offers good thermal conductivity with low thermal
expansion. This means that molybdenum is also a popular material in
semiconductor plate production or for power electronics.
Molybdenum alloys for targeted use
The material properties of molybdenum can be further specifically adapted using
alloys. Molybdenum-alloyed steels, for example, increase their hardness,
toughness and corrosion resistance considerably even with small Mo additions.
Ferromolybdenum is used for this purpose: an iron-molybdenum alloy with 60-70%
Mo. Apart from iron-molybdenum alloys, we offer a wide variety of alloys with
copper, rhenium, chromium, lanthanum oxide, tungsten, niobium, tantalum or the
remaining TZM alloy ( Titanium, zirconium, molybdenum). With the help of the
alloys, density, melting point, toughness, thermal expansion and thermal
strength as well as corrosion resistance can be further influenced. Inquire
about your desired alloy without obligation or let us advise you on what is
particularly suitable for your application.
Zirconium - highly technological and versatile
The metal with the chem. Atomic number 40, zirconium, is mainly used in
compounds and alloys, but also has some practical properties as a pure
substance.
The zircaloy mentioned above is, for example, the main component of the shells
of uranium fuel elements in nuclear power plants. Here the element is
characterized by an exceptionally high capture cross-section for thermal
neutrons, as well as high corrosion resistance. This makes it suitable for the
construction of chemical plants and especially for special parts such as valves,
pumps, pipes or heat exchangers.
Zirconium is also suitable for the construction of incandescent lamps and vacuum
systems, as it reacts with small amounts of oxygen and can therefore maintain
the vacuum.
Zirconium alloys have a wide variety of uses
In addition to the best-known and most widespread alloy, Zircaloy, zirconium
also gives other alloys valuable properties. As an addition to steel, for
example, it increases the corrosion resistance, which is why surgical
instruments are often made from such alloys.
Together with niobium, a superconducting alloy is created, which retains this
property even under the influence of strong magnetic fields.
Basically, the addition of zirconium stabilizes an alloy and makes it more
resistant.
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