Alloys are the main field of application for niobium, and the main consumer of the metal is the steel industry. Niobium improves the mechanical strength, temperature resistance and corrosion resistance of steel, for example in pipelines and in the construction industry. For similar reasons, the aerospace industry uses niobium in superalloys to withstand extreme temperatures and mechanical stresses, e.g. in jet engines. Niobium is also used in superconducting magnets for medical devices such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) equipment.
