Alloying Immiscible Magnesium and Molybdenum to MgMo Bimetal with Properties Different from the Monometals

<jats:p>The light metal Magnesium and the hard metal Molybdenum are among the immiscible metals whose combination is expected to yield interesting material properties. Through forced co-reduction near room temperature in the liquid phase, we are now able to produce MgMo nanoparticles (1.6±0.2 nm) in a 1 : 1, 2 : 1, and 1 : 2 ratio with statistical distribution of Mg and Mo at the atomic level. Using these nanoparticles as shuttles, pressed, bulk-like MgMo pellets can be realized. Beside the formation of the first bimetallic MgMo alloy, we show that its material properties differ significantly from those of the Mg and Mo monometals treated similarly. Although containing 50% Mg, the bimetallic MgMo alloy is characterized by a reactivity and chemical stability similar to Mo, a specific gravity close to Mg, hightemperature crystallization similar to Mo, and an electrical conductivity of the bimetallic MgMo alloy seven orders of magnitude lower than the similarly treated monometallic Mo. Combining previously immiscible metals via nanoparticles as shuttles to new alloys can generally provide powerful access to new metallic materials such as MgMo and beyond.</jats:p>