Hippieduster (Stranger)
02-08-03 08:03
No 405548
      Inert Atmosphere??  Bookmark   

When using an Inert Atmosphere (N20)do you have to keep it a steady stream or use a ballon (N20)? This puzzled me after reading something on the net. From what I know I believe it should be a steady stream,but I am not sure.
 
 
 
 
    Barium
(Hive Addict)
02-08-03 12:29
No 405584
      It depends on what you are doing.  Bookmark   

It depends on what you are doing. A baloon can be used for a closed system in which there is no gas evolved in the reaction and a stream is used when there is gas evolved. In the latter case you canīt have a closed system. I havenīt seen N2O (nitrous oxide, laughing gas) been used as a inert gas because it can act as a oxidizing agent, but N2 (nitrogen) is the most commonly used inert gas because it reacts with very few things.

Freaky
 
 
 
 
    amalgum
(Hive Bee)
02-08-03 21:50
No 405685
      yeah  Bookmark   

Helium works just as well.  Also cheap and easy to get.
 
 
 
 
    Natrix
(Hive Bee)
02-08-03 22:06
No 405689
      Argon is cheaper than helium.  Bookmark   

Argon is cheaper than helium.
 
 
 
 
    Rhodium
(Chief Bee)
02-08-03 22:09
No 405691
      inerts  Bookmark   

And nitrogen even cheaper...

A disadvantage of Helium compared to Argon (both completely inert though) is that it is so light as to easily escape the reaction setup.
 
 
 
 
    Barium
(Hive Addict)
02-09-03 13:08
No 405921
      Argon is heavy enough for you to actually be...  Bookmark   

Argon is heavy enough for you to actually be able to, if you are quick and have gentle hands, open the reaction setup to make some adjustments without disturbing the inert atmosphere too much. Argon is also soo much cheaper than helium. A 50L (@ 200 bar) nitrogen cylinder costs me about $30 to refill while a argon cylider of the same size costs me about $100. Nowdays I use both but I used to only go for argon in the past.

Freaky