Basic Properties
Molybdenum (chemical symbol Mo, atomic number 42) is a refractory transition metal with a dull silver-grey appearance, supplied as bar stock, plate and sheet for CNC machining.
- Extreme heat resistance: melting point of 2,623 °C, keeps useful strength and creep resistance far above the service limit of steel, titanium or aluminium.
- Low thermal expansion (about 4.8 µm/m·K) and high thermal conductivity: dimensionally stable under thermal cycling, ideal for glass-to-metal and semiconductor assemblies.
- Density 10.2 g/cm³: heavy, stiff and highly damped — good for vibration-sensitive fixtures and counterweights.
- Excellent resistance to molten glass, molten metals and many acids; used as electrodes, crucibles and liners in glass melting.
- Machinable with carbide tooling, but brittle at room temperature: sharp edges, light cuts and stress-relief annealing are required to avoid chipping.
- Drawbacks: high raw material cost; oxidises above roughly 400–500 °C in air, so high-temperature parts run in vacuum or inert gas, or need a coating.
Common Surface Finishes for Molybdenum
- Precision grinding: tight flatness and parallelism for furnace fixtures, electrodes and sputtering targets.
- Lapping / polishing: mirror finish (Ra 0.05 µm) for semiconductor sputtering targets and vacuum components.
- EDM and wire cutting: burr-free profiles and fine slots without inducing machining cracks.
- Vacuum annealing: stress relief after machining to restore ductility and prevent delayed cracking.
- Nickel or gold plating: improves brazing wettability and oxidation protection for electronic packages.
Main Applications
- High-temperature furnaces: heating elements, heat shields, boats, sintering fixtures and vacuum hot zones.
- Glass industry: melting electrodes, stirrers, gob feeders and bushings.
- Semiconductor & vacuum: sputtering targets, ion implantation parts, electron-beam and X-ray components.
- Medical imaging: X-ray tube anodes, collimators and rotating anode assemblies.
- Aerospace & defence: rocket nozzles, leading edges, high-temperature fasteners and heat exchangers.
Material parameters
| Parameter | Value |
| Price | $$$$$ |
| Delivery time | 14 days |
| Wall thickness | 0.5 mm |
| Tolerance | ±0.005 inch (±0.125 mm) |
| Maximum part size | 200 x 80 x 100 cm |
| Available Molybdenum Grades | Mo 99.95%, Mo-La (lanthanum-doped), TZM alloy, Mo-Cu |