Examples of applications of molybdenum are ribbons and wires in the lighting industry, semiconductor baseplates in electronics, glass melting electrodes and furnace hot zones as well as sputter targets in coating technology.

The advantages of molybdenum at a glance

• High melting point (2620 C)
• High hot strength
• Low vapour pressure
• Low thermal expansion
• Extremely good corrosion resistance against molten metals and glass

Mechanical properties of molybdenum
Molybdenum distinguishes itself through its high melting point, hot strength and creep resistance. Additionally PLANSEE is able to optimise the mechanical properties of the material:
As the smallest levels of impurities can impair the properties of molybdenum, PLANSEE uses only molybdenum of the highest purity and guarantees the highest material quality from powder preparation through to the finished product. Moreover PLANSEE optimises the strength of the material with special forming techniques and improves the properties of pure molybdenum by alloying. Depending on the application and the operating temperature we can supply the optimum molybdenum alloy for our customers.

The following examples are all used as alloy additions for molybdenum: carbon, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, rhenium and lanthanum oxide.

Chemical properties of molybdenum
Molybdenum has exceptional corrosion resistance to molten glass, numerous molten metals and aggressive exhaust gases as well as to  numerous acids and other chemical substances. The corrosion resistance of molybdenum can be increased further by alloying, for example with tungsten.

Oxidation protection for moly
In oxygen-containing atmospheres oxidation of molybdenum sets in above 400 C. From 600 C sublimation of molybdenum trioxide is to be expected. Special coatings can be used to prevent the oxidation of molybdenum.
SIBOR, an oxidation-protection coating developed by PLANSEE permits the use of molybdenum in glass melting up to 1700 C.

Our molybdenum product range
PLANSEE is the world's leading producer of molybdenum mill products and finished components manufactured by powder metallurgy. For more than 85 years, PLANSEE is manufacturing products made of molybdenum and molybdenum alloys. Molybdenum and its alloys are mainly used as materials for special applications due to their outstanding properties at high temperatures.With comprehensive practical experience PLANSEE can offer support throughout product design and implementation. Our experts are always available to answer technical questions regarding our materials.

Product examples

• Mo spray wire for the automotive industry
• Mo dipping shields for vehicle lighting
• Molybdenum mandrel and support wires for the lighting industry
• furnace hot zones
• Molybdenum glass melting electrodes
• Mo sputter targets for coating
• semiconductor baseplates for power electronics, and many more.

Symbol: Mo Category: Transition metals Atomic number: 42 Melting point: 2620°C Boiling point: 4639°C Density: 10.28 g/cm3 Chem. element of the VI th subsidiary group of the periodic system The name molybdenum is derived from a Greek expression meaning "heavy" or "lead". The discovery of molybdenum is attributed to the Swedish chemist C.W. Scheele. Molybdenum is one of the 90 naturally occuring elements. It is a rare element, has a basic centered cubic lattice, and belongs to the class of high melting metals.    Molybdenum: Properties and applications   Safety data sheet for molybdenum  Fiche de données de sécurité