materials
Molybdenum
Molybdenum and Molybdenum alloys such as TZM or MoLa are becoming increasingly popular in aerospace and space-based applications, due to their high melting point, good mechanical properties, and low CTE.
9.0
Relative Cost of Material
8.0
Machining Degree of Difficulty
Summary
While it is a naturally occurring element, there are relatively few molybdenum mines throughout the world, and only one currently in the United States. As a refractory metal, Molybdenum has low CTE and an extremely high melting point, which makes it an ideal choice for applications with demanding thermal requirements. While Molybdenum and TZM are both abrasive and brittle metal materials that can be difficult to machine, it is possible to make extremely tight-toleranced components and complex geometries with the proper machining strategy.
Molybdenum and TZM machining are among Mindrum Precision’s many specialties, as we work in these materials on a routine basis. We are proud to have years of mission-critical, high consequence component manufacture in TZM including manufacturing the focal plane for NASA’s NGRST (WFIRST) mission, and our expertise with the material has made us a go-to for molybdenum machining in the aerospace industry. Click here for our contact information or to request a quote, and we will show you why more engineers are trusting us with their mission-critical needs.
Applications
Molybdenum is a naturally occurring element, and it has been used in many industries in applications ranging from armor plating and ballistics to automotive and aerospace. While Moly is also used in other alloys, such as Inconel or Hastelloy, pure Molybdenum and the stronger TZM are being used for their thermal characteristics in increasingly high-profile space missions and other defense and aerospace applications, including in weapons systems, satellites, telescopes, and more.
Properties
| Material Property | Molybdenum |
|---|---|
| Density (g/cm^3) | 10.22 |
| Hardness (Rockwell A) | 60 |
| Tensile Strength (MPa) | 324 |
| Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) | 329 |
| Compressive Strength (MPa) | 400 |
| Poisson's Ratio | 0.31 |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (1 x 10^-6/°C) | 5.2 |
| Thermal Conductivity (W/m K) | 138 |
| Specific Heat (J/g*K) | .25 |
| *Note: Properties vary by manufacturer. The above information should be used for general reference purposes only. |
