Molybdenum vs Tungsten
Molybdenum and Tungsten are genuine alternatives to one another — a choice somebody actually makes — and differ on 5 measured properties, density most clearly.
Molybdenum vs Tungsten
Tungsten
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The highest melting point of any metal, which is why lightbulb filaments were made of it and why it is used to drill through everything else.
| Property | Molybdenum | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic number | 42 | 74 higher |
| Density | 10.28 g/cm³ | 19.3 g/cm³ higher |
| Electrical conductivity Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | Not known | 18.9 MS/m |
| Melting point | 2622.2 °C | 3410 °C higher |
| Mohs hardness Mohs hardness is an ordinal scale: values can be ranked, but differences and ratios between them are not meaningful. | about 5.5 | about 7.5 higher |
| Molar mass | 95.95 g/mol | 183.84 g/mol higher |
Choosing between them
Molybdenum is recorded as a substitute for Tungsten — lighter, less supply-constrained.
What it gives up: Lower melting point, so it gives up the very top of the temperature range tungsten is chosen for.
In this application, on the evidence cited above.