Molybdenum is a silvery-gray metal that is rarely found in its native form in nature. Though relatively unknown to the general public, molybdenum plays an important role in many modern technologies and industrial applications. It is considered a strategic and critical material due to its wide usage.
Physical and Chemical Properties
Molybdenum has some unique physical and chemical properties that make it well-suited for high-tech materials and applications. It has a high melting point of 2,623°C (4,753°F), second only to tungsten. This gives molybdenum excellent heat resistance. It also has great strength and durability, with a tensile strength of up to 300 MPa.
Chemically, molybdenum is resistant to corrosion from acids, alkalis and salt water environments. It retains its strength even at high temperatures. These properties allow molybdenum-containing alloys and coatings to last for long periods in harsh conditions.
Molybdenum's ability to withstand high temperatures without sagging, warping or melting makes it indispensable to applications involving extreme heat. It maintains good electrical conductivity at high temperatures too. All of these unique physical and chemical qualities have led to molybdenum being utilized in many advanced technologies.
Uses in Metallurgy and Energy
Molybdenum is a key alloying element used in the production of various strong steels. It is added to steels in small proportions, usually less than 5%, to enhance hardenability without significantly reducing ductility or toughness. Steels strengthened with molybdenum, such as high-speed steels, are critical for applications demanding high hardness and resistance to wear like cutting tools.
Molybdenum is also a main component of nonferrous alloys used in spacecraft construction, armor plating, fasteners and other strategic applications that require materials lightweight yet very durable and resistant to heat and corrosion. Important molybdenum alloys include titanium alloys (used in aircraft), super alloys and stainless steels.
In the energy industry, molybdenum plays a big role. It is the metal of choice for making high-pressure pipes that transfer steam in thermal power plants. Such pipes made of molybdenum alloys can withstand ultra-high temperatures and pressures. Molybdenum is also crucial in the filaments of incandescent lights that generate light through high resistance heating.
Use in Catalysis and Chemical Industries
Another significant use of molybdenum lies in its catalytic properties. Finely divided molybdenum powders are effective hydroprocessing catalysts used to remove sulfur, nitrogen and aromatic hydrocarbons from fossil fuels likes gasoline and diesel. This helps produce cleaner burning automotive fuels.
Molybdenum catalysts are similarly employed for hydrocracking processes that convert heavy oils to lighter, more useful fractions for gasoline and other fuels. They allow these reactions to occur easily and at lower temperatures. The chemical industry also relies on molybdenum-containing catalysts for producing other chemicals like ethylene and methanol.
Molybdenum Compounds and Other Uses
Naturally occurring molybdenite and other molybdenum minerals like wulfenite are important industrial sources of this metal. However, pure molybdenum metal is also extracted commercially using high-temperature carburization or hydrogen reduction processes.
The most commercially significant molybdenum compounds are molybdenum trioxide and ammonium molybdate. These are utilized in pigments, catalysts, flame retardants and as trace element fertilizers. Even molybdenum powders find applications as electrically conductive additives and lubricants owing to their dry lubricating properties.
Lesser known but equally crucial uses of molybdenum exist in manufacturing tungsten light bulb filaments, X-ray and gamma ray projection units. Its compounds are essential components of glass and ceramic glazes too. Molybdenum-99 isotope extracted from uranium also has vital medical uses as radioactive tracer in diagnostic imaging techniques.
Molybdenum undoubtedly serves humanity in many important modern technologies across diverse industry verticals ranging from infrastructure and transportation to energy, chemicals and healthcare. Its unique physical metallurgy has rendered this silvery metal indispensable for strategic defense materials and high-performance industrial applications. With growing global demand and limited resources, molybdenum's strategic nature is set to rise further cementing its position as one of the key industrial minerals of strategic significance in the future as well.
Get more insights on Molybdenum
The Global Molybdenum-99 Market Report 2020-2026 provides in-depth information on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the Global Cosmetic Surgery Market.
Our analysis on Company Profiling of key market players gives an idea about the supply chain in the marketplace for the year 2020, and also their financial performance gives an idea about market share.
Each sub-segment analysis helps to explore new opportunities and areas for improvement.For Right Perspective & Competitive Insights, Request a Sample @: https://introspectivemarketresearch.com/request/13095Key Player Mentioned: IRE, NTP Radioisotopes, Curium Pharma, Covidien, Eckert Ziegler, International Isotopes Inc., RosatomProduct Segment Analysis: Production by Highly Enriched Uranium, Production by Non-Highly Enriched UraniumApplication Segment Analysis: Medical, Industry, Santific Research, OthersRegional Segment Analysis: North America (U.S.; Canada; Mexico), Europe (Germany; U.K.; France; Italy; Russia; Spain etc.
)The revenue, consumption, production levels in this industry corresponding to the four main geographies have been mentioned in great detail in the report.
Currently, the US accounts for the highest market share of the global Molybdenum-99 market, and it is expected to increase in the coming years further.
The global Molybdenum-99 market report builds on primary research, market data from third-party sources, bottom-up modeling, and independent databases.
The Global Molybdenum-99 Market Report 2020-2026 provides in-depth information on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the Global Cosmetic Surgery Market.
Our analysis on Company Profiling of key market players gives an idea about the supply chain in the marketplace for the year 2020, and also their financial performance gives an idea about market share.
Each sub-segment analysis helps to explore new opportunities and areas for improvement.For Right Perspective & Competitive Insights, Request a Sample @: https://introspectivemarketresearch.com/request/13095Key Player Mentioned: IRE, NTP Radioisotopes, Curium Pharma, Covidien, Eckert Ziegler, International Isotopes Inc., RosatomProduct Segment Analysis: Production by Highly Enriched Uranium, Production by Non-Highly Enriched UraniumApplication Segment Analysis: Medical, Industry, Santific Research, OthersRegional Segment Analysis: North America (U.S.; Canada; Mexico), Europe (Germany; U.K.; France; Italy; Russia; Spain etc.
)The revenue, consumption, production levels in this industry corresponding to the four main geographies have been mentioned in great detail in the report.
Currently, the US accounts for the highest market share of the global Molybdenum-99 market, and it is expected to increase in the coming years further.
The global Molybdenum-99 market report builds on primary research, market data from third-party sources, bottom-up modeling, and independent databases.
