Argon

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Argon

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Argon

Physical Properties

Under solid (grey), liquid (blue) and vapor states (white) along the equilibrium curves

General properties
Solid phase
Liquid Phase
Gas Phase

(P)

log(P)

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Molecular weight

39.948
g/mol
Content in dry air

9340
ppm
9340 ppm 9.34E-1 vol% 9.34E-3 vol/vol

Critical Point

Temperature

- 122.29
°C
- 188.122 °F 150.86 K
Pressure

48.98
bar
4.898E6 pa 710.3946 lbf/in2 48.3395 Atm 4898 Kpa 3.6738E4 mmHg
Density

535.57
kg/m³
33.4345 lb/ft³

Triple Point

Temperature

- 189.34
°C
- 308.812 °F 83.81 K
Pressure

6.87E-1
bar
6.87E4 pa 9.9641 lbf/in2 6.7802E-1 Atm 68.7 Kpa 515.2938 mmHg

Pressure 1.013 bar

Melting point

- 189.37
°C
- 308.866 °F 83.78 K
Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)

29.588
kJ/kg
12.7291 Btu/lb 7.0717 kcal/kg
Solid density

/

Pressure 1.013 bar

Liquid density (at boiling point)

1395.4
kg/m³
87.1118 lb/ft³
Boiling point

- 185.85
°C
- 302.53 °F 87.3 K
Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)

161.14
kJ/kg
69.3242 Btu/lb 38.5134 kcal/kg

Pressure1.013barTemperature

Compressibility factor Z

9.9906E-1

9.9925E-1

9.9937E-1
Cp/Cv ratio γ

1.6702

1.6698

1.6696
Dynamic viscosity

2.1017E-4
Po
21.017 µPa.s 2.1017E-5 PA.S 1.4123E-5 lb/ft/s

2.1987E-4
Po
21.987 µPa.s 2.1987E-5 PA.S 1.4775E-5 lb/ft/s

2.2624E-4
Po
22.624 µPa.s 2.2624E-5 PA.S 1.5203E-5 lb/ft/s
Gas density at boiling point

5.772
kg/m³
3.6033E-1 lb/ft³

5.772
kg/m³
3.6033E-1 lb/ft³

5.772
kg/m³
3.6033E-1 lb/ft³
Gas density

1.7835
kg/m³
1.1134E-1 lb/ft³

1.6903
kg/m³
1.0552E-1 lb/ft³

1.6335
kg/m³
1.0198E-1 lb/ft³
Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp

5.2185E-1
kJ/(kg.K)
1.2473E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 521.853 J/kg∙K 1.2473E-1 kcal/kg∙K

5.2165E-1
kJ/(kg.K)
1.2468E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 521.653 J/kg∙K 1.2468E-1 kcal/kg∙K

5.2155E-1
kJ/(kg.K)
1.2465E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 521.553 J/kg∙K 1.2465E-1 kcal/kg∙K
Heat capacity at constant volume Cv

3.1243E-1
kJ/(kg.K)
7.4673E-2 BTU/lb∙°F 312.431 J/kg∙K 7.4673E-2 kcal/kg∙K

3.1241E-1
kJ/(kg.K)
7.4667E-2 BTU/lb∙°F 312.406 J/kg∙K 7.4667E-2 kcal/kg∙K

3.1238E-1
kJ/(kg.K)
7.4661E-2 BTU/lb∙°F 312.381 J/kg∙K 7.4661E-2 kcal/kg∙K
Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent

782
mol/mol

825.53
mol/mol

854.24
mol/mol
Solubility in water

/

3.025E-5
mol/mol

2.519E-5
mol/mol
Specific gravity

1.38

1.38

1.38
Specific volume

5.607E-1
m³/kg
8.9815 ft³/lb

5.916E-1
m³/kg
9.4765 ft³/lb

6.122E-1
m³/kg
9.8065 ft³/lb
Thermal conductivity

16.483
mW/m∙K
9.5301E-3 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.4182E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.9395E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.6483E-2 W/(m∙K)

17.245
mW/m∙K
9.9706E-3 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.4838E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 4.1217E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.7245E-2 W/(m∙K)

17.746
mW/m∙K
1.026E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.5269E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 4.2414E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.7746E-2 W/(m∙K)
Vapor pressure

/

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Argon

Liquid / Gas Volumes

Calculate a liquid or gas volume or a mass

Liquid Phase

At boiling point at 1.013 bar

m3(Volume)

kg(Mass)

Gas Phase

in standard conditions (1,013 bar, 15°C)

m3(Volume)

kg(Mass)

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Argon

Applications

Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

Aeronautics

Argon is used during welding and heat treatment operations as well as a protective atmosphere.

Aeronautics

Automotive

Argon is used pure or in mixtures for arc, plasma and laser welding. Argon protects welds against air as well as reduces fume emissions for most arc welding processes. Argon is used to inflate car airbags.

Automotive

Beverage

Argon is used to inert wine to prevent oxidation during winemaking.

Beverage

Metal fabrication

Argon is used to protect liquid metal from reactions with compounds present in ambient air, such as oxygen. It is also used for the same reasons in many welding processes.

Metal fabrication

Food

Argon allows to extend food shelf life with modified atmosphere.

Food

Glass

Argon avoids corrosion of the tungsten filament in light bulb and consequently blackening of the bulb by atmosphere inerting. Argon is used to increase thermal isolation performance of double glazing windows.

Glass

Hospital care

Medical device: liquid argon is used for cryoablation in surgery; ie the tissues are destroyed through intense cold. Argon is also used in argon plasma coagulation (APC), a medical endoscopic procedure used primarily to control bleeding.

Hospital care

Laboratories & Research Centers

Argon is used for analysis and quality control for industry and hospital: plasma gas for plasma emission spectrometry, blanket gas in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, carrier gas in gas chromatography for various detectors. In mixture with methane, argon is used in Geiger counter and in X-ray fluorescence detector as quenching gas.

Laboratories & Research Centers

Metal

Argon is used for stirring and inerting purposes in steelmaking and during the Argon Oxygen Decarburisation (AOD) operation for stainless steel.

Metal

Electronic components

Argon is used to carry reactive molecules to the reaction area, protect semiconductors against impurities, provide an inert atmosphere to grow crystals of silicon and germanium. Argon also intervenes under ionic state for sputtering, ion implantation, annealing and etching processes in semiconductor or high performance material manufacturing. It eases the creation of a ionic state inside the reaction area. It is also used to bring a molecules mix to a given mixture ratio.

Electronic components

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Argon

Safety & Compatibility

Information to safely use this molecule

Major hazards
Material compatibility

Safety

GHS04

Gas under pressure

Odor

none

Metals

Aluminium

Satisfactory
Brass

Satisfactory
Monel

Satisfactory
Copper

Satisfactory
Ferritic Steel

Satisfactory
Stainless steel

Satisfactory
Zinc

Satisfactory
Titanium

No data

Plastics

Polytetrafluoroethylene

Satisfactory
Polychlorotrifluoroethylene

Satisfactory
Polyvinylidene fluoride

Satisfactory
Polyvinyl chloride

Satisfactory
Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene

Satisfactory
Polycarbonate

Satisfactory
Polyamide

Satisfactory
Polypropylene

Satisfactory

Elastomers

Buthyl (isobutene- isoprene) rubber

Satisfactory
Nitrile rubber NBR

Satisfactory
Chloroprene

Satisfactory
Silicone

Satisfactory
Perfluoroelastomers

Satisfactory
Fluoroelastomers

Satisfactory
Neoprene

Satisfactory
Polyurethane

Satisfactory
Ethylene-Propylene

Satisfactory

Lubricants

Hydrocarbon based lubricant

Satisfactory
Fluorocarbon based lubricant

Satisfactory

Materials compatibility

Recommendations : Air Liquide has gathered data on the compatibility of gases with materials to assist you in evaluating which materials to use for a gas system. Although the information has been compiled from what Air Liquide believes are reliable sources (International Standards: Compatibility of cylinder and valve materials with gas content; Part 1- Metallic materials: ISO11114-1 (March 2012), Part 2 - Non-metallic materials: ISO11114-2 (April 2013), it must be used with extreme caution and engineering judgement. No raw data such as these can cover all conditions of concentration, temperature, humidity, impurities and aeration. It is therefore recommended that this table is only used to identify possible materials for applications at high pressure and ambient temperature. Extensive investigation and testing under the specific conditions of use need to be carried out to validate a material selection for a given application. Contact the regional Air Liquide team for expertise service.

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Argon

Learn More

General information

More information

Argon was discovered in 1894 by Sir William Ramsay and Lord John Rayleigh. The name argon comes from the Greek "αργόν" (argos) meaning "the lazy one" in reference to its chemical inactivity. Argon exists only in the atmosphere. Air contains about 0.9 % of argon, a neutral and colorless gas. Argon is highly used in industrial applications due to its high level of chemical inertness. Argon is produced through air cryogenic distillation.