Refractory metals are a range of materials whose capabilities are yet to be explored. They are defined by their exceptionally high melting points (typically above 2,000°C) and excellent resistance to heat, wear, and corrosion. In the short list of manufacturers who focus their core business on these metals, one finds Foundation Alloy, a MIT spinout that recently launched Molyclast™, a new generation of high-performance molybdenum alloys created using the company’s proprietary MetalsFIRST™ technology.
Molyclast™ alloys feature 100x finer grains than the current state-of-the-art and fully isotropic properties, creating advantages uniquely accessible through the MetalsFIRST™ platform. A simplified approach, MetalsFIRST™ eliminates extensive post-processing, hazardous hydrogen gas, and embrittling contamination common in traditional molybdenum part manufacturing.
Produced faster and more cost-effectively, Molyclast™ parts exhibit as much as 60% increases in strength compared to their closest competitors and are compatible with advanced manufacturing methods like 3D printing. The result is unmatched engineering potential and supply chain efficiency to unlock new use cases for this material class.
“With Molyclast™, we’re introducing a new state-of-the-art for refractory alloys, which have long been considered the next frontier for engineering metals,” said Foundation Alloy CEO Jake Guglin. “It’s a testament to the power of our team and MetalsFIRST™ technology that in a year we went from first demonstration to launch – and this is just the start.”
Molybdenum alloys are prized in aerospace, defense, energy, and industrial applications for their strength, thermal and electrical performance, and stability at extreme temperatures. The Molyclast™ family advances this standard, and with the groundbreaking combination of superlative properties and streamlined processing are poised to create a fundamental upgrade in mission-critical components across industries. With 100% U.S.-based production, this advancing technology is already bringing high-value manufacturing back to American soil.
Molyclast™ is the first in a series of breakthrough alloy classes that Foundation Alloy plans to introduce using the MetalsFIRST™ process, which integrates advanced powder metallurgy and sintering technologies to deliver next generation alloys without the development and production bottlenecks of the legacy metals industry.
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