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.
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 MolybdenumSimultaneous determination of chromium, selenium, and molybdenum in nutritional products by inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry: single-laboratory validation.
Pacquette LH, Szabo A, Thompson JJ.
J AOAC Int. 2011 Jul-Aug;94(4):1240-52.
PMID:
21919358
[PubMed - in process]
Structural studies of the molybdenum center of mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component (mARC) by pulsed EPR spectroscopy and 17O-labeling.
Rajapakshe A, Astashkin AV, Klein EL, Reichmann D, Mendel RR, Bittner F, Enemark JH.
Biochemistry. 2011 Sep 14. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21916412
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Clinical neuroimaging features and outcome in molybdenum cofactor deficiency.
Vijayakumar K, Gunny R, Grunewald S, Carr L, Chong KW, Devile C, Robinson R, McSweeney N, Prabhakar P.
Pediatr Neurol. 2011 Oct;45(4):246-52.
PMID:
21907887
[PubMed - in process]
SNP-based association mapping of Arachnomelia in Fleckvieh cattle.
Seichter D, Russ I, Förster M, Medugorac I.
Anim Genet. 2011 Oct;42(5):544-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2010.02167.x. Epub 2011 Jan 25.
PMID:
21906105
[PubMed - in process]
White monkey syndrome and presumptive copper deficiency in wild savannah baboons.
Markham AC, Gesquiere LR, Bellenger JP, Alberts SC, Altmann J.
Am J Primatol. 2011 Sep 6. doi: 10.1002/ajp.20983. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21898510
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Study of Molybdenum(4+) Quinoxalyldithiolenes as Models for the Noninnocent Pyranopterin in the Molybdenum Cofactor.
Matz KG, Mtei RP, Rothstein R, Kirk ML, Burgmayer SJ.
Inorg Chem. 2011 Sep 6. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21894968
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Nature of Halide Binding to the Molybdenum Site of Sulfite Oxidase.
Pushie MJ, Doonan CJ, Wilson HL, Rajagopalan KV, George GN.
Inorg Chem. 2011 Sep 6. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21894921
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Purity-enhanced bulk synthesis of thin single-wall carbon nanotubes using iron-copper catalysts.
Lim HE, Miyata Y, Nakayama T, Chen S, Kitaura R, Shinohara H.
Nanotechnology. 2011 Sep 30;22(39):395602. Epub 2011 Sep 2.
PMID:
21891846
[PubMed - in process]
Photoelastic analysis of forces generated by T-loop springs made with stainless steel or titanium-molybdenum alloy.
Maia LG, de Moraes Maia ML, da Costa Monini A, Vianna AP, Gandini LG Jr.
Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2011 Sep;140(3):e123-8.
PMID:
21889060
[PubMed - in process]
Metallic ions released from stainless steel, nickel-free, and titanium orthodontic alloys: Toxicity and DNA damage.
Ortiz AJ, Fernández E, Vicente A, Calvo JL, Ortiz C.
Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2011 Sep;140(3):e115-22.
PMID:
21889059
[PubMed - in process]
Arabidopsis LOS5/ABA3 overexpression in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi-nc) results in enhanced drought tolerance.
Yue Y, Zhang M, Zhang J, Duan L, Li Z.
Plant Sci. 2011 Oct;181(4):405-11. Epub 2011 Jun 29.
PMID:
21889046
[PubMed - in process]
Toluene and chlorobenzene dinitration over solid H(3)PO(4)/MoO(3)/SiO(2) catalyst.
Adamiak J, Kalinowska-Alichnewicz D, Szadkowski M, Skupinski W.
J Hazard Mater. 2011 Aug 16. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21885194
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Molybdate modulates mitogen and cyclosporin responses of human peripheral blood lymphocytes.
Michelis FV, Delitheos A, Tiligada E.
J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2011 Jul;25(3):138-42. Epub 2011 Aug 30.
PMID:
21880474
[PubMed - in process]
Structure and stability of the molybdenum cofactor intermediate cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate.
Santamaria-Araujo JA, Wray V, Schwarz G.
J Biol Inorg Chem. 2011 Aug 30. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21877100
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Differences in urine cadmium associations with kidney outcomes based on serum creatinine and cystatin C.
Weaver VM, Kim NS, Lee BK, Parsons PJ, Spector J, Fadrowski J, Jaar BG, Steuerwald AJ, Todd AC, Simon D, Schwartz BS.
Environ Res. 2011 Aug 24. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21871619
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Analysis of Trace and Major Elements in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid of Mycoplasma Bronchopneumonia in Calves.
Suzuki K, Higuchi H, Iwano H, Lakritz J, Sera K, Koiwa M, Taguchi K.
Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011 Aug 26. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21870151
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Redox tunable reversible molecular sieves: orthorhombic molybdenum vanadium oxide.
Sadakane M, Ohmura S, Kodato K, Fujisawa T, Kato K, Shimidzu KI, Murayama T, Ueda W.
Chem Commun (Camb). 2011 Aug 23. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21860863
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
The Identification of a novel protein involved in molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis in Escherichia coli.
Dahl JU, Urban A, Bolte A, Sirabhaya P, Donahue JL, Nimtz M, Larson TJ, Leimkuhler S.
J Biol Chem. 2011 Aug 19. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21856748
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Urinary heavy metals and associated medical conditions in the US adult population.
Mendy A, Gasana J, Vieira ER.
Int J Environ Health Res. 2011 Aug 19. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
21854105
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Tuning of the Spin Distribution between Ligand- and Metal-Based Spin: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance of Mixed-Ligand Molybdenum Tris(dithiolene) Complex Anions.
Fekl U, Sarkar B, Kaim W, Zimmer-De Iuliis M, Nguyen N.
Inorg Chem. 2011 Sep 19;50(18):8685-7. Epub 2011 Aug 19.
PMID:
21853970
[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 |
|
