Argon
Argon
Constituting about 1% of the atmosphere, Argon is a stable noble gas, valued for its total non-reactive and inertness both its liquid and its gaseous states, even at high temperatures. Used in many applications where elimination of air is required, Argon is not only a good influence on the stabilisation of the electric arc, but also offers good protection against oxidation risk, reducing smoke emission.
Industries and Applications
Welding & Metal Fabrication
As a shielding gas, pure argon is the most preferred and versatile choice for multiple welding applications, primarily in Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding of thin and non-ferrous metals, such as aluminium and stainless steel. It ensures a stable inert arc and a narrow penetration profile, facilitating high-quality welds while upholding the inherent properties of metals like titanium and zirconium. This is crucial in specialised and critical applications, where the preservation of their superior mechanical strength and corrosion resistance is imperative for durability and reliability.
Much like TIG, Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding aluminium requires 100% Argon or Argon-Helium mixture to achieve consistent and reliable welds. This is because of aluminium’s highly susceptibility to oxidation, causing easy contamination when exposed to impurities or reactive gases namely CO2, O2 or N2 .
Food & Beverage
Argon’s inert nature and ability to displace oxygen make it essential for preserving freshness, flavour and quality across various food and beverage applications. Additionally, through precise regulation of pressure and temperature, argon plays a pivotal role in crafting quality carbonated drinks.
Healthcare
The presence of Argon in healthcare continues to transform modern medical procedures. From retinal realignment, abnormal tissue cryoablation to endoscopic interventions involving argon plasma coagulation, Argon offers minimally invasion solutions where patient safety, precision and accuracy are of paramount importance. Furthermore, it doubles as a coolant for MRI machines, enabling them to produce strong magnetic fields required for high-quality imaging.
Electronics
An argon atmosphere is created to maintain stable and optimised conditions throughout the production of electronic devices, extensively in microfabrication process. Alongside its inertness, Argon gas is also easy to ionise, making it a primary plasma gas in sputter deposition and highly anisotropic etching of integrated circuits onto semiconductor chips and display panels. In achieving these intricate patterning and defining structure, allows for optimal performance and high resolution across the displays.
