The application of molybdenum in iron and steel industry is the most important, accounting for about 80% of total molybdenum consumption, followed by chemical industry, about 10%. Molybdenum is also used in electrical and electronic technology, medicine and agriculture, accounting for about 10% of total consumption.
Molybdenum is the most consumed in steel, mainly used in the production of alloy steel (about 43% of molybdenum in total steel consumption), stainless steel (about 23%), tool steel and high speed steel (about 8%), cast iron and roll (about 6%).Most molybdenum is used directly in steelmaking or cast iron after industrial molybdenum oxide compaction, while a few are first melted to molybdenum iron and then used in steelmaking.
Molybdenum as an alloy element of steel has the following advantages:
1. Improve the strength and toughness of steel;
2. Improve corrosion resistance of steel in acid and alkali solution and liquid metal;
3. Improve wear resistance of steel;
4. Improve hardenability, weldability and heat resistance of steel.
For example, stainless steel with a molybdenum content of 4- 5% is often used in areas where corrosion is more serious, such as marine equipment, chemical equipment, etc. Molybdenum based alloys have been used in high heating elements, extruding tools, glass melting furnace electrodes, spray coating, metal processing tools, spacecraft parts and so on because of their good strength, mechanical stability and high ductility. Molybdenum has good electrical conductivity and high temperature resistance, and its thermal expansion coefficient is close to that of glass.
Molybdenum has good electrical conductivity and high temperature resistance, and its thermal expansion coefficient is close to that of glass. In addition, molybdenum wire is also an ideal electrode wire for WEDM machine tools. It can cut all kinds of steel and cemented carbides, its discharge machining is stable, and the precision of die can be improved effectively.
