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      Nitrogen
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      Nitrogen
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      N2
      Nitrogen

      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)
      Download
      • Molecular weight
        28.013
        g/mol
      • Content in dry air
        7.8084E5
        ppm
         7.8084E5 ppm 78.084 vol% 7.8084E-1 vol/vol

      Critical Point

      • Temperature
        - 146.95
        °C
         - 232.51 °F 126.2 K
      • Pressure
        34
        bar
         3.4E6 pa 493.1281 lbf/in2 33.5554 Atm 3400 Kpa 2.5502E4 mmHg
      • Density
        314.02
        kg/m³
         19.6036 lb/ft³

      Triple Point

      • Temperature
        - 210
        °C
         - 346 °F 63.15 K
      • Pressure
        1.252E-1
        bar
         1.252E4 pa 1.8159 lbf/in2 1.2356E-1 Atm 12.52 Kpa 93.908 mmHg
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Melting point
        - 210
        °C
         - 346 °F 63.15 K
      • Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)
        25.702
        kJ/kg
         11.0573 Btu/lb 6.1429 kcal/kg
      • Solid density
        /
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Liquid density (at boiling point)
        806.11
        kg/m³
         50.3237 lb/ft³
      • Boiling point
        - 195.8
        °C
         - 320.44 °F 77.35 K
      • Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)
        199.18
        kJ/kg
         85.6895 Btu/lb 47.6052 kcal/kg
      Pressure1.013barTemperature
      • Compressibility factor Z
        9.9954E-1
        9.9971E-1
        9.998E-1
      • Cp/Cv ratio γ
        1.4019
        1.4015
        1.4013
      • Dynamic viscosity
        1.6629E-4
        Po
         16.629 µPa.s 1.6629E-5 PA.S 1.1174E-5 lb/ft/s
        1.7339E-4
        Po
         17.339 µPa.s 1.7339E-5 PA.S 1.1651E-5 lb/ft/s
        1.7805E-4
        Po
         17.805 µPa.s 1.7805E-5 PA.S 1.1964E-5 lb/ft/s
      • Gas density at boiling point
        4.611
        kg/m³
         2.8785E-1 lb/ft³
        4.611
        kg/m³
         2.8785E-1 lb/ft³
        4.611
        kg/m³
         2.8785E-1 lb/ft³
      • Gas density
        1.2501
        kg/m³
         7.8041E-2 lb/ft³
        1.1848
        kg/m³
         7.3964E-2 lb/ft³
        1.145
        kg/m³
         7.148E-2 lb/ft³
      • Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp
        1.0414
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.4891E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1041.445 J/kg∙K 2.4891E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.0414
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.4889E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1041.374 J/kg∙K 2.4889E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.0414
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.4889E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1041.374 J/kg∙K 2.4889E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Heat capacity at constant volume Cv
        7.4291E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.7756E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 742.905 J/kg∙K 1.7756E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        7.4301E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.7758E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 743.012 J/kg∙K 1.7758E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        7.4316E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.7762E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 743.155 J/kg∙K 1.7762E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent
        644.84
        mol/mol
        680.38
        mol/mol
        704.03
        mol/mol
      • Solubility in water
        /
        1.386E-5
        mol/mol
        1.183E-5
        mol/mol
      • Specific gravity
        0.97
        0.97
        0.97
      • Specific volume
        0.8
        m³/kg
         12.8148 ft³/lb
        8.44E-1
        m³/kg
         13.5196 ft³/lb
        8.734E-1
        m³/kg
         13.9905 ft³/lb
      • Thermal conductivity
        24.001
        mW/m∙K
         1.3877E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.0651E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 5.7364E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 2.4001E-2 W/(m∙K)
        25.108
        mW/m∙K
         1.4517E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.1603E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 6.001E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 2.5108E-2 W/(m∙K)
        25.835
        mW/m∙K
         1.4937E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.2229E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 6.1747E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 2.5835E-2 W/(m∙K)
      • Vapor pressure
        /
        /
        /
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      N2
      Nitrogen

      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)
      Retour
      N2
      Nitrogen

      Applications

      Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

      Aeronautics

      Nitrogen is used for heat treatment, welding or laser cutting. Nitrogen-filled tires have an increased lifetime.

      Aeronautics

      Automotive

      Nitrogen is used for heat treatment, welding or laser cutting. It also used to produce car pieces with gas assisted injection moulding process. Nitrogen-filled tires have an increased lifetime.

      Automotive

      Chemicals

      Nitrogen is used directly in chemical process as carrier gas, fluidisation agent or for temperature control and catalyst preparation. It also takes part in several applications in a petrochemical site: for blanketing, drying, purging, stirring, etc.

      Chemicals

      Electronic components

      Nitrogen is used to create an inert atmosphere to avoid oxidation during wave soldering or reflow soldering process. Nitrogen is used as a carrier gas to protect the semiconductors from impurities and oxidation during production and welding. It provides an inert atmosphere during equipment production and during wafer transportation. It enables the dilution of by-products emitted during semiconductor fabrication until a safe level is reached. Nitrogen can also be used to chill wafers without contamination after a treatment.

      Electronic components

      Food

      Nitrogen is used to chill, freeze or control temperature of food products. It allows to control temperature during transportation and distribution with indirect liquid nitrogen injection. Nitrogen preserves and protects foods with Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) to minimize oxidation, micro-organism growth or package collapse. It is also used to protect liquid foods from oxidation through inerting, pressure transfer and deoxigenation.

      Food

      Glass

      Combined with hydrogen, nitrogen creates a reductive atmosphere over the tin bath in glass production process.

      Glass

      Hospital care

      Medical device: nitrogen is used for cryo-dermatology and cryo-preservation. It is also a component of inhaled gaseous mixtures for pulmonary function test.

      Hospital care

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Nitrogen is a carrier gas in gas chromatography for various industrial and hospital analyses and quality control. It is also a balance gas of the calibration gas mixtures for environmental monitoring systems and industrial hygiene gas mixtures. Nitrogen is used to purge, dry or blanket analyzers or chemical reactors (under gaseous state or at low temperature liquid state).

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Metal fabrication

      Nitrogen is used for heat treatment and laser cutting.

      Metal fabrication

      Metal

      Nitrogen is used for inerting and stirring in many applications.

      Metal

      Oil & Gas

      For storage tanks and pipeline, nitrogen protects products and facilities (blanketing and inerting). It is also used in operations of snubbing/pigging, pipeline purging, cleanouts and leak test. For overbalanced drilling, nitrogen is used for gas lifting, fracking or fracturing.

      Oil & Gas

      Other

      Nitrogen is used in heat treatment of various metals. It is a component of the mixtures used in carbon dioxide lasers. It is also used for pneumatic transportation of powdered flammable materials (charcoal).

      Pharma & Biotech

      Nitrogen is used for inerting, cryo-grinding, lyophilisation, drying, liquid phase transfer of products or synthesis intermediates. It is also used for cryo-condensation of waste gases and low temperature storage.

      Pharma & Biotech
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      N2
      Nitrogen

      Safety & Compatibility

      Information to safely use this molecule

      • Major hazards
      • Material compatibility
      Safety
      • GHS04
        Gas under pressure

      Other Hazards

      Asphyxiant in high concentrations. Nitrogen, when in liquid or vapor state at cryogenic temperature can cause cryogenic burns on skin due to cold, which are very similar to a thermal burn.

      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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      N2
      Nitrogen

      Learn More

      General information

      More information

      Nitrogen was discovered in 1772 by Daniel Rutherford who called it "noxious air" or "fixed air". Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier isolated it in 1786. The name nitrogen comes from Latin "nitrogenium", where "nitrum" (from Greek nitron) means "saltpetre", and "genes" means "forming". Nitrogen is an inert gas with many industrial applications. It is liquefied by cooling at -320.8 °F (-196 °C/77.15 K). It is mainly found in the atmosphere, where it accounts for 78 % by volume of the air we breath. But nitrogen is also found in the Earth's crust (to a limited extent: in the form of nitrates, etc.), in organic form (in the living or dead plants and organisms), in mineral form (ammonia), thus contributing to soil fertility. In gaseous form, nitrogen is a neutral and colorless gas.

      N2

      Nitrogen

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