Fun Facts About Argon Gas

Argon gas is colorless, tasteless, odorless, and chemically inert, which makes it an excellent choice for many applications across a wide variety of industries: Welding, food packaging, cryosurgery, and medical laboratories, to name a few. Because it remains inert even at high temperatures, Argon gas is also used in the manufacture of stainless steel and the silicon crystals used to make semiconductors. It’s commonly produced in conjunction with the distillation of high-purity oxygen, often as a stage in the manufacture of ammonia.

• A Nobel Prize for Discovering a Noble Gas – In 1895, a Scottish chemist named William Ramsay and his associate John Strutt identified, described, and documented Argon gas, which earlier scientists had noted as a mysterious, inert portion of air. The pair were awarded a Nobel Prize in 1904 for their work.

• Used in “Neon” Signs – Neon gas produces an orange-ish red color when exposed to electrical current, as in a neon sign. In order to produce additional colors, sign-makers experimented with other gases and learned that using Argon gas in a “neon” sign produces a pleasing and eye-catching blue.

• Show Promise in Prevention of Brain Damage – Argon gas is already used in a number of medical applications, like LASIK and PRK surgery for vision correction, and in cryosurgery to kill tumors by freezing them. Currently, researchers are studying how argon gas may help reduce the amount of brain damage a patient suffers after head trauma. More research is underway to learn more specifics about how this works and what other applications there may be, but a 2014 paper published in Medical Gas Journal showed a 15 to 20% reduction in brain cell death with argon treatment in patients with trauma.

How Does Your Business Use Argon Gas?

Whether you’re using Argon gas to shield your welding, to preserve tissue samples in a lab, ephemera in an archive or museum, to package food, or to preserve wine in open containers in your bar or restaurant, you’re going to need a reliable supply at fair prices. In the Greater Toronto Area, Josef Gas delivers consistent quality gases on a reliable schedule that meets your demand. We’re locally owned and operate our own fleet of delivery vehicles, so we’re also able to give our customers individualized service and total support. Call or contact us online to learn more about setting up a custom delivery service for your business.