Pure Vanadium and its compounds, due to their unique physicochemical properties (such as high melting point, excellent catalytic activity, and multivalent REDOX characteristics, etc.), have significant applications in multiple industrial and high-tech fields. The following are the main application directions and technological progress of pure vanadium:
In the steel industry (core application), the additive function of high-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA) : Vanadium (0.05-0.15%) forms VN and VC nano-precipitated phases with carbon/nitrogen, significantly enhancing the strength, toughness and wear resistance of the steel. Application: Construction and Bridges: For instance, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in China uses vanadium-containing seismic steel (with a yield strength of ≥690MPa). Automotive lightweighting: The frame of the Ford F-150 adopts vanadium microalloyed steel, reducing weight by 10% while maintaining strength. Trend: Vanadium-nitrogen alloy (V-N) replaces traditional ferrovanadium (FeV), and the addition efficiency is increased by 30%. Vanadium (1-5%) in tool steel and die steel enhances red hardness (such as H13 hot work die steel), which is used in Tesla die-casting machine molds.
The principle of new energy and energy storage all-vanadium REDOX flow batteries (VRFB) : Energy storage is achieved through the REDOX reactions of V2⁺/V3⁺ and V4⁺/V5⁺. Advantages:
Lifespan over 20 years (cycle times >20,000), suitable for grid-level energy storage. The cost of the electrolyte (vanadium oxysulfate) accounts for 60% of the system, and cost reduction relies on vanadium recovery technology. Lithium vanadium phosphate (Li3V2(PO4)3), a cathode material for lithium batteries, has an energy density 15% higher than that of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and is used in special vehicles (such as mining trucks). Lithium-rich manganese-based materials: Vanadium doping enhances structural stability (patented technology of CATL).
Titanium alloy strengthening agent Ti-6Al-4V (containing 4%V) : Aero engine compressor blades, SpaceX rocket fuel tanks, vanadium-stabilized β phase to enhance high-temperature performance. Vanadium-based superconducting material trigallium vanadium (V3Ga) : Superconducting critical temperature 15K, used in high-field magnets (such as nuclear magnetic resonance imaging equipment).
