Sep 07, 2023

ASTM International’s reactive and refractory metals and alloys committee (B10) has approved a new standard that will provide specifications for isotropic pure molybdenum. The new standard covers grades 1 and 2 of unalloyed monolithic forms of molybdenum (UNS R03610).

Due to its high temperature strength, resistance to aggressive media, high thermal conductivity, and low coefficient of thermal expansion, molybdenum has found use in a wide array of applications. These include high temperature thermal processing and semiconductor processing.

The standard (B1024/B1024M) describes a new grade of molybdenum that has fully isotropic mechanical properties, regardless of the shape or size of the product.

According to ASTM member Steve McCrossan, the primary differentiator between this new grade of molybdenum and grades covered by existing ASTM standards is that the strength properties of the new product are identical in all directions of the product.

“Existing grades of molybdenum possess defined strength properties in only one direction, most typically in the direction in which final forging/working operations were conducted,” says McCrossan. “Not only are the strength properties of the other directions not defined, but they are also, in reality, significantly lower than those defined in existing standards.”

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