Application of molybdenum
The application of molybdenum in iron and steel industry occupies the leading position, accounting for about 80% of total consumption of molybdenum, followed by chemical industry, accounting for about 10%. In addition, molybdenum is also used in electrical and electronic technology, medicine and agriculture, accounting for about 10% of the total consumption.
Alloy field: Molybdenum accounts for the largest consumption in the steel sector, mainly for the production of alloy steel (about 43 per cent of molybdenum in total steel consumption), stainless steel (about 23 per cent), tool steel and high-speed steel (about 8 per cent), cast iron and roll (about 6 per cent). Molybdenum is mostly used in steel-making or cast iron by industrial molybdenum oxide, and a small part is first melted into molybdenum iron, then used in steel-making. Molybdenum as an alloy element of steel has the following advantages: improving the strength and toughness of steel; improving the corrosion resistance of steel in acid-base solution and liquid metal; improving the wear resistance of steel; improving the hardenability, weldability and heat resistance of steel. For example, stainless steel with a molybdenum content of 4% to 5% is often used in areas where erosion and corrosion are more severe, such as marine equipment, chemical equipment, etc. • The addition of other elements (such as titanium, zirconium, rubidium, tungsten and rare earth elements) into non-ferrous alloys with molybdenum as matrix not only plays a role in solid solution strengthening and low temperature plasticity of molybdenum alloys, but also forms a stable and dispersed carbide phase and improves the strength and recrystallization temperature of the alloys. Molybdenum-based alloys are used in high heating elements, extrusion abrasive tools, glass melting furnace electrodes, jet coating, metal processing tools, spacecraft parts and so on because of their good strength, mechanical stability and high ductility.
Chemical field Lubricant: MoO2 is a good solid lubricant, because of its low friction coefficient and high yield strength, it can be used in vacuum and various ultra-low temperature, high temperature, so it is widely used in gas turbine, gear, mold, aerospace, nuclear industry and so on. Catalyst: Molybdenum compounds are one of the most widely used catalysts and are widely used in chemical, petroleum, plastic, textile and other industries. For example: molybdenum disulfide has the sulfur resistance property, can catalyze the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide to produce alcohols under certain conditions, is a very promising C1 chemical catalyst; molybdenum and cobalt, nickel combined as a catalyst for petroleum refining pretreatment. Other common molybdenum-containing catalysts are: molybdenum disulfide, molybdenum oxide, molybdate, ammonium molybdate, etc. • Pigments: Chromium yellow and cadmium yellow are the most commonly used inorganic yellow pigments in the world today, but lead, chromium and cadmium are toxic, and molybdenum yellow is not only non-toxic, but also has bright color, light and thermal stability, so it is used in pigments and inks, plastics, rubber products and ceramics. • Flame retardants and smoke suppressants of organic polymers: the addition of 3 to 4 per cent molybdenum trioxide to halogenated polymers increases the critical oxygen index by 3 to 4 per cent, increases carbon production by about 4 per cent and reduces smoke by 3 per cent. Corrosion inhibitor: The toxicity of molybdate is very low and the corrosion of organic additives added to the corrosion inhibitor is very weak.
