Refractory Metal Mo-La
ASTM B387 Grade 364 · GB MoLa · also Lanthanated Molybdenum
Molybdenum dispersion-strengthened with fine La2O3 particles for improved high-temperature creep resistance, recrystallization control, and ductility compared to pure moly; widely used for sputtering targets and hot-work tooling.
Reference datasheet — Mo-La is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the As Rolled condition
Mo-La tempers and conditions
Mo-La is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. As Rolled is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
powder-metallurgy blank, not worked | Cheapest form for crucibles, blanks and machined-from-solid parts where residual porosity and low ductility are acceptable. | 300 | 380 | 3 | 171 HB | 26 % IACS |
Recrystallized / fully annealed | Represents the property floor after long high-temperature service; ML keeps a fine elongated grain structure so it stays far tougher than recrystallized pure Mo. | 310 | 450 | 22 | 160 HB | 33 % IACS |
Stress relieved | Pick when flatness and low residual stress matter for machined or laser-cut parts, with only a small strength penalty. | 490 | 640 | 13 | 17 HRC | 31 % IACS |
As RolledDefault worked and stress-relieved sheet/plate (default supply) | Standard stocked condition for ML sheet, plate and foil: highest as-supplied strength with usable room-temperature bend ductility. | 560 | 700 | 8 | 21 HRC | 30 % IACS |
Swaged / Forged Rod | Standard ML rod and bar condition for electrodes, stirrers, pins and machined furnace hardware. | 600 | 750 | 18 | 22 HRC | 30 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Mo-La is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
Drawn Wire | Heavily cold-drawn ML wire/filament | Supply form |
What is Mo-La?
Molybdenum dispersion-strengthened with fine La2O3 particles for improved high-temperature creep resistance, recrystallization control, and ductility compared to pure moly; widely used for sputtering targets and hot-work tooling. Mo-La has a density of 10.2 g/cm³ (0.368 lb/in³), heavier than 63% of refractory metal grades. It melts at 2,620°C (4,748 °F). Mo-La has a yield strength of 560 MPa (81.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — stronger than 78% of refractory metal grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 320 GPa (46.4 Msi).
What is Mo-La used for?
- Furnace heating elements
- Sapphire crystal-growth crucibles
- Sputtering targets and backing plates
- Hot-zone shields and support structures
- Hot-work tooling for glass and metal forming
- Drawn wire for high-temperature leads and springs
- Vacuum furnace and ion-implanter components
Advantages
- High service temperature — 1,700°C (3,092 °F), better than 90% of refractory metal grades
- Stiff — 320 GPa (46.4 Msi), better than 84% of refractory metal grades
- Conducts heat well — 120 W/m·K (69.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of refractory metal grades
- High electrical conductivity — 30 % IACS, better than 83% of refractory metal grades
- Low embodied carbon — 25 kg CO₂/kg, better than 80% of refractory metal grades
Limitations
- Difficult to weld — 20/100, worse than 79% of refractory metal grades
- Limited ductility — 8%, worse than 75% of refractory metal grades
Mo-La properties
Typical room-temperature values for Mo-La-As Rolled; bars are the position among refractory metal grades.
Physical3
Mo-La has a density of 10.2 g/cm³ (0.368 lb/in³), heavier than 63% of refractory metal grades. It melts at 2,620°C (4,748 °F).
Mechanical17
Mo-La has a yield strength of 560 MPa (81.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — stronger than 78% of refractory metal grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 320 GPa (46.4 Msi).
Thermal6
Mo-La is rated for continuous service to 1,700°C (3,092 °F). It conducts heat at 120 W/m·K (69.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of refractory metal grades. Thermal expansion is 5.3 µm/m·K (2.94 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Mo-La conducts electricity at 30 % IACS, better than 83% of refractory metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (55/100), worse than 72% of refractory metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Mo-La takes about 380 MJ of energy and emits 25 kg of CO₂ — less than 78% of refractory metal grades. Typical recycled content is 25%.
Manufacturability7
Mo-La's machinability is fair (35/100, better than 81% of refractory metal grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability poor (25/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the refractory metal family
Yield strength against density for every refractory metal grade FabDigit runs. Mo-La is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Mo-La
Is Mo-La easy to machine?
Machine with sharp positive-rake carbide or PCD at moderate speed and generous feed, flood coolant, and preheat/warm the part for tapping or thin-wall turning to avoid chipping and edge cracking.
Can Mo-La be welded?
Only EB or laser welding in high vacuum/inert gas is practical, and the fusion zone recrystallizes and becomes notch-sensitive — vacuum brazing or mechanical fastening is preferred for load-bearing joints.
Can Mo-La be formed, bent or molded?
Roll, bend and deep-draw warm (about 150–400 °C for sheet, higher for thick stock); keep bend radii ≥3–5 t, and avoid grinding-induced surface cracks that trigger brittle failure.
Mo-La chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| La2O3lanthana dispersoid; common commercial blends are 0.3 %, 0.7 % (Plansee ML) and 1.1 % | 0.3 – 1.2 | 0.7 |
| Cimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Oexcluding oxygen bound in La₂O₃ | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Feimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Niimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Siimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Mo≥98.8 % balance | balance |
What surface finishes work on Mo-La?
Chemically clean/pickle or electropolish for vacuum service; for air service above ~500 °C apply a silicide (Si-Mo) or CVD/plasma-sprayed oxidation barrier — plating and anodizing are not used.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Refractory Metal Mo-La in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- B387 Grade 364
- GB (China)
- MoLa
- Trade names
- Lanthanated Molybdenum
- Also called
- MLA
- Similar grades
- R03600B387
How much does Mo-La cost?
Mo-La is a specialty-cost refractory metal ($$$$$), pricier than about 100% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Mo-La — frequently asked
What is Mo-La used for?
Mo-La is typically used for furnace heating elements, sapphire crystal-growth crucibles, sputtering targets and backing plates, hot-zone shields and support structures, hot-work tooling for glass and metal forming and drawn wire for high-temperature leads and springs. In short: ductile-improved molybdenum wire.
What is the yield strength of Mo-La?
Mo-La has a typical yield strength of 560 MPa (81.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — stronger than 78% of refractory metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is Mo-La easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (35/100, better than 81% of refractory metal grades). Machine with sharp positive-rake carbide or PCD at moderate speed and generous feed, flood coolant, and preheat/warm the part for tapping or thin-wall turning to avoid chipping and edge cracking.
Can Mo-La be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Only EB or laser welding in high vacuum/inert gas is practical, and the fusion zone recrystallizes and becomes notch-sensitive — vacuum brazing or mechanical fastening is preferred for load-bearing joints.
What surface finishes work on Mo-La?
Chemically clean/pickle or electropolish for vacuum service; for air service above ~500 °C apply a silicide (Si-Mo) or CVD/plasma-sprayed oxidation barrier — plating and anodizing are not used.
Can Mo-La be formed, bent or molded?
Roll, bend and deep-draw warm (about 150–400 °C for sheet, higher for thick stock); keep bend radii ≥3–5 t, and avoid grinding-induced surface cracks that trigger brittle failure.
What is the maximum service temperature of Mo-La?
Mo-La is rated for continuous use to about 1,700°C (3,092 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Mo-La As Rolled and Mo-La-RX?
As Rolled is the default condition — standard stocked condition for ML sheet, plate and foil: highest as-supplied strength with usable room-temperature bend ductility. RX: represents the property floor after long high-temperature service; ML keeps a fine elongated grain structure so it stays far tougher than recrystallized pure Mo. Yield strength is 560 MPa in As Rolled versus 310 MPa in RX.
How much does Mo-La cost?
Mo-La is a specialty-cost refractory metal ($$$$$), pricier than about 100% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Molybdenum-Lanthanum Oxide (ML) material property data — Plansee SE (2023)
- ASTM B386/B386M — Molybdenum and Molybdenum Alloy Plate, Sheet, Strip and Foil — ASTM International (2021)
- ASTM B387 — Molybdenum and Molybdenum Alloy Bar, Rod and Wire — ASTM International (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (Refractory Metals) — ASM International (1990)
- Lanthanated molybdenum sheet, rod and wire product data — Elmet Technologies / Ed Fagan / (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.