Molybdenum carbide is an extremely hard, refractory, ceramic material, commercially used in tool bits for cutting tools.
There are at least three reported phases of molybdenum carbide: ó-MoC, ò-Mo<sub>2</sub>C, and ó'. The ó phase is structurally identical to tungsten carbide.
ò-Mo<sub>2</sub>C has been suggested as a catalyst for carbon dioxide hydrogenation. The ó' phase forms by combining the elements at relatively low temperatures, and transforms to the ó phase at 800 ðC.