Molybdenum information, including Technical Data, Safety Data and its high purity properties, research, applications and other useful facts are discussed below. Scientific facts such as the atomic structure, ionization energy, abundance on Earth, conductivity and thermal properties are included.
 Molybdenum has the third highest melting point of any element, exceeded only by tungsten and tantalum. Molybdenum is a catalyst in the oil refining. It has many other applications, including in catalysts, pigments, corrosion inhibitors and lubricants. It has a very high elastic modulus. Molybdenum is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder. It is used in steel alloys to add hardness and raise melting points. It is a component in Hastelloys brand steel. Molybdenum is used in nuclear reactors and aerospace components. Molybdenum is valuable as a catalyst in the refining of petroleum. It is used in high temperature filaments for electronics.
Molybdenum facts, research and properties are
available for many specific states, forms and shapes on the product pages listed to the left. Elemental or metallic forms include pellets, rod, wire and granules for evaporation source material purposes. Nanoparticles and nanopowders provide ultra high surface area which nanotechnology research and recent experiments demonstrate function to create new and unique properties and benefits.
 Oxides are available in forms including powders and dense pellets for such uses as optical coating and thin film applications. Oxides tend to be insoluble. Fluorides are another insoluble form for uses in which oxygen is undesirable such as metallurgy, chemical and physical vapor deposition and in some optical coatings. Molybdenum is available in soluble forms including chlorides, nitrates and acetates. These compounds are also manufactured as solutions at specified stoichiometries.
Molybdenum is a Block D, Group 6, Period 5 element. The number of electrons in each of Molybdenum's shells is 2, 8, 18, 13, 1 and its electronic configuration is [Kr] 4d5 5s1. In its elemental form molybdenum's CAS number is 7439-98-7. The molybdenum atom has a radius of 136.3.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 200.pm. Molybdenum is toxic unless it is in small quantities.
All elemental metals, compounds and solutions may be synthesized in ultra high purity (e.g. 99.999%) for laboratory standards, advanced electronic, thin fillm deposition using sputtering targets  and evaporation materials, metallurgy and optical materials and other high technology applications. Information is provided for stable (non-radioactive) isotopes. Organo-Metallic Molybdenum compounds are soluble in organic or non-aqueous solvents. See Analytical Services for information on available certified chemical and physical analysis techniques including MS-ICP, X-Ray Diffraction, PSD and Surface Area (BET) analysis.
The primary commercial source of molybdenum is molybdenite (MoS2), although it is also recovered as a byproduct of copper and tungsten mining. Molybdenum was first discovered by Carl Wilhelm in 1778.
The origin of the name Molybdenum comes from the Greek word molubdos meaning lead.
 Molybdène |
 Molybdän |
 Molibdeno |
 Molibdênio |
 Molibdeno |
 Molybden |
Abundance. The following table shows the abundance of molybdenum and each of its naturally occurring isotopes on Earth along with the atomic mass for each isotope.
| Isotope |
Atomic Mass |
% Abundance on Earth |
| Mo-92 |
91.906810 |
14.84 |
| Mo-94 |
93.905088 |
9.25 |
| Mo-95 |
94.905841 |
15.92 |
| Mo-96 |
95.904679 |
16.68 |
| Mo-97 |
96.906021 |
9.55 |
| Mo-98 |
97.905408 |
24.13 |
| Mo-100 |
99.907477 |
9.63 |
The following table shows the abundance of Molybdenum present in the human body and in the universe scaled to parts per billion (ppb) by weight and by atom:
| |
Typical Human Body |
Universe |
| by Weight |
100 ppb |
5 ppb |
| by Atom |
7 ppb |
0.1 ppb |
Safety Data and Biological Role. The safety data for molybdenum metal, nanoparticles and its compounds can vary widely depending on the form. For potential hazard information, toxicity, and road, sea and air transportation limitations, such as DOT Hazard Class, DOT Number, EU Number, NFPA Health rating and RTECS Class, please see the specific material or compound referenced in the left margin. Molybdenum compounds have a vital biological role in nitrogen fixation, enzymes, and nitrate reduction enzymes.
Ionization Energy. The ionization energy for molybdenum (the least required energy to release a single electron from the atom in it's ground state in the gas phase) is stated in the following table:
| 1st Ionization Energy |
684.32 kJ mol-1 |
| 2nd Ionization Energy |
1559.21 kJ mol-1 |
| 3rd Ionization Energy |
2617.67 kJ mol-1 |
Conductivity. As to molybdenum's electrical and thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity measured as to electrical resistivity @ 20 ºC is 5.34 μΩcm and its electronegativities (or its ability to draw electrons relative to other elements) is 2.16. The thermal conductivity of molybdenum is 138 W m-1 K-1.
Thermal Properties. The melting point and boiling point for molybdenum are stated below. The following chart sets forth the heat of fusion, heat of vaporization and heat of atomization.
| Heat of Fusion |
27.6 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of Vaporization |
589.9 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of Atomization |
656.55 kJ mol-1 |
Recent Research & Development for MolybdenumProcess development for the separation and recovery of Mo and Co from chloride leach liquors of petroleum refining catalyst by solvent extraction.
Banda R, Sohn SH, Lee MS.
J Hazard Mater. 2012 Jan 9. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22336581
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Selective cleavage of pepsin by molybdenum metallopeptidase.
Yenjai S, Malaikaew P, Liwporncharoenvong T, Buranaprapuk A.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 Feb 5. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22330807
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Iminopyridine Complexes of Manganese, Rhenium, and Molybdenum Derived from Amino Ester Methylserine and Peptides Gly-Gly, Gly-Val, and Gly-Gly-Gly: Self-Assembly of the Peptide Chains.
Alvarez CM, García-Rodríguez R, Miguel D.
Inorg Chem. 2012 Feb 13. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22329711
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Low-Temperature, Solution-Processed MoO(x) for Efficient and Stable Organic Solar Cells.
Zilberberg K, Gharbi H, Behrendt A, Trost S, Riedl T.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2012 Feb 15. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22324481
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
A molecular MoS2 edge site mimic for catalytic hydrogen generation.
Karunadasa HI, Montalvo E, Sun Y, Majda M, Long JR, Chang CJ.
Science. 2012 Feb 10;335(6069):698-702.
PMID:
22323816
[PubMed - in process]
The use of total reflectance X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) for the determination of metals in the pharmaceutical industry.
Antosz FJ, Xiang Y, Diaz AR, Jensen AJ.
J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2012 Jan 16. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22316622
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Kinetic Resolution of Planar-Chiral (?(6) -Arene)Chromium Complexes by Molybdenum-Catalyzed Asymmetric Ring-Closing Metathesis.
Ogasawara M, Wu WY, Arae S, Watanabe S, Morita T, Takahashi T, Kamikawa K.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2012 Feb 3. doi: 10.1002/anie.201108292. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22308166
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Measurement of mass attenuation coefficients of Rhizophora spp. binderless particleboards in the 16.59-25.26keV photon energy range and their density profile using x-ray computed tomography.
Marashdeh MW, Bauk S, Tajuddin AA, Hashim R.
Appl Radiat Isot. 2012 Jan 20. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22304963
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Nitrite and Nitrite Reductases: From Molecular Mechanisms to Significance in Human Health and Disease.
Castiglione N, Rinaldo S, Giardina G, Stelitano V, Cutruzzolà F.
Antioxid Redox Signal. 2012 Feb 5. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22304560
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Molybdenum(vi) catalysts obtained from ?(3)-allyl dicarbonyl precursors: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic performance in cyclooctene epoxidation.
Gamelas CA, Gomes AC, Bruno SM, Almeida Paz FA, Valente AA, Pillinger M, Romão CC, Gonçalves IS.
Dalton Trans. 2012 Feb 2. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22302175
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Field-Effect Tunneling Transistor Based on Vertical Graphene Heterostructures.
Britnell L, Gorbachev RV, Jalil R, Belle BD, Schedin F, Mishchenko A, Georgiou T, Katsnelson MI, Eaves L, Morozov SV, Peres NM, Leist J, Geim AK, Novoselov KS, Ponomarenko LA.
Science. 2012 Feb 2. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22300848
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Spectroscopic reflectometry of mirror surfaces during plasma exposure.
Wisse M, Eren B, Marot L, Steiner R, Meyer E.
Rev Sci Instrum. 2012 Jan;83(1):013509.
PMID:
22299953
[PubMed - in process]
[Absorption characteristics of molybdenum by reed and cattail].
Lian JJ, Xu SG, Han CW.
Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2011 Nov;32(11):3335-40. Chinese.
PMID:
22295632
[PubMed - in process]
Conserved Signal Peptide Recognition Systems across the Prokaryotic Domains.
Coulthurst SJ, Dawson A, Hunter WN, Sargent F.
Biochemistry. 2012 Feb 13. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22289056
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Two methods can simultaneously display both intramuscular nerves and blood vessels.
Yu DZ, Liu AT, Zhang JL, Dang RS, Chen G, Liu BL, Han T, Yi J, Nagasao T, Jiang H.
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Feb;129(2):401-11.
PMID:
22286423
[PubMed - in process]
Synthesis, characterization and biological activities of some new chromium molybdenum and tungsten complexes with 2,6-diaminopyridine.
Soliman AA, Ali SA, Marei AH, Nassar DH.
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2012 Apr;89:329-32. Epub 2011 Dec 30.
PMID:
22286054
[PubMed - in process]
Tuning the Photochromic Properties of Molybdenum Bisphosphonate Polyoxometalates.
El Moll H, Dolbecq A, Mbomekalle IM, Marrot J, Deniard P, Dessapt R, Mialane P.
Inorg Chem. 2012 Jan 27. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22283587
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
In vivo evaluation of defined polished titanium surfaces to prevent soft tissue adhesion.
Hayes JS, Welton JL, Wieling R, Richards RG.
J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2012 Jan 27. doi: 10.1002/jbm.b.31967. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22282225
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Reaction dynamics of Mo + O(2) ? MoO + O studied by a crossed-beam velocity map imaging technique.
Honma K, Matsumoto Y.
J Chem Phys. 2012 Jan 21;136(3):034301.
PMID:
22280754
[PubMed - in process]
A new class of electrocatalysts for hydrogen production from water electrolysis: metal monolayers supported on low-cost transition metal carbides.
Esposito DV, Hunt ST, Kimmel YC, Chen JG.
J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Feb 15;134(6):3025-33. Epub 2012 Feb 1.
PMID:
22280370
[PubMed - in process] |
Formula |
Atomic Number |
Molecular Weight |
Electronegativity (Pauling) |
Density |
Melting Point |
Boiling Point |
Vanderwaals radius |
Ionic radius |
Energy of first ionization |
Mo |
42 |
95.94 g.mol -1 |
1.8 |
10.2 g.cm-3 at 20 °C |
2610 °C |
4825°C |
200.pm |
0.068 nm (+4); 0.06 nm (+6) |
684.32 kJ.mol-1 |
|
