ARGON

Argon

Argon (Ar) is extracted industrially by the fractional distillation of liquid air. Argon is chemically inert under most conditions and forms no confirmed stable compounds at room temperature.

Liquid argon is tasteless, colourless, odourless, noncorrosive, non-flammable, and extremely cold. Belonging to the family of rare gases, argon is the most plentiful, making up approximately 1% of the earth’s atmosphere. It is monatomic and extremely inert, forming no known chemical compounds.

Argon is used more commonly in the gaseous state, Liquid argon is shall also be transported and stored as a liquid.

Liquid argon is a cryogenic liquid. Cryogenic liquids are liquefied gases that have a normal boiling point –186°C. 

Argon is extracted industrially by the fractional distillation of liquid air. Argon is chemically inert under most conditions and forms no confirmed stable compounds at room temperature.

Argon is mostly used as an inert shielding gas in welding and other high-temperature industrial processes where ordinarily unreactive substances become reactive; for example, an argon atmosphere is used in graphite electric furnaces to prevent the graphite from burning.

It is also used in incandescent, fluorescent lighting, and other gas-discharge tubes. It makes a distinctive blue-green gas laser. It is also used in fluorescent glow starters.

For welding, keeping delicate chemicals, and safeguarding materials, it serves as a protective gas.

In aerosol cans, compressed argon is occasionally employed as a propellant.

In cryosurgery, liquid argon is utilised to remove malignant tissue. Both laser and argon plasma beams are employed in medical procedures.

To aid in the removal of dissolved nitrogen from the blood during decompression, such as after deep-sea diving, argon can be added to create a breathing mixture.

In scientific investigations such as neutrino tests and dark matter studies, liquid argon is employed. Despite being a plentiful element, argon has no known biological functions.

Argon plasma coagulation utilises electricity to conduct Argon plasma as a medium to give a higher frequency current to clot the tissue. The non-contact characteristic allows fast coagulation with very little control and injury to the tissues.

Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is an electrosurgical technique that coagulates tissue by using Argon discharges at atmospheric pressure. Because it is biochemically inert, has a low breakdown voltage, and is very inexpensive, Argon was chosen.

Argon is also utilised to organise makeshift inert atmospheres that need shielding from other gases for purposes such as welding and rising semiconductor crystals.

Major Argon Applications

  • Rubber and plastic
  • Bulk pharmaceuticals
  • Fine chemistry
  • Polymers
  • Cosmetics and herbalism
  • Basic and organic chemistry, synthesised intermediates
  • Pharmaceutical specialities
  • Carpentry
  • Aeronautical production
  • Shipyards
  • Major building sites
  • Carbon steel working
  • Tool working
  • Automotive
  • Aluminium working
  • Solid waste treatment plant
  • Multiutility
  • Waste to energy plants
  • Waste to Energy
  • Plant for treating industrial (chemical, pharmaceutical, fabrics and leather, food, paper, petrochemicals and mining) waste
  • Precision casting (e.g. lost wax, micro-fusion casting)
  • Cast-iron production
  • Nonferrous metal working
  • Stainless steel working
  • Glass container and fibre production
  • Steelmaking (from scrap – arc furnace)
  • Secondary aluminium production (recycling)
  • Plate glass production
  • Aluminium extrusion
  • Milk and derivatives
  • Bread and confectionery
  • Meat and poultry
  • Fish processing
  • Coffee, wine and oil
  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Ready meals
  • Catering
  • Beverages
  • Offshore
  • Extraction
  • Oil refining
  • Raw material and finished product stockage
  • Transport and pipelines
  • Plant components and equipment
  • Non-ferrous metal production (copper, lead, gold and bronze)
  • Steelmaking (from pig iron – blast furnace)
  • Artistic glass production
  • Steel forging
  • Refractory products production, marble
  • Lime production
  • Precious metal working
  • Cement production