Gas Applications

Gas Name Formula Applications Allene C3H4 • Organic intermediate Ammonia, Anhydrous

NH3

• Fertilizers (as such or in compound form) such as ammonium nitrite

• Manufacture of nitric acid, hydrazine hydrate, hydrogen cyanide, urethane, acrylonitrile, and sodium carbonate

• Refrigerant • Used when making nitride with steel • Condensation catalyst • Synthetic fibers • Dying • Neutralizing agent in petroleum industry • Latex preservative • Sulfite cooking liquors • Fuel cells • Rocket fuel • Yeast nutrient • Developing diazo films

Arsine

AsH3

• Organic synthesis • Doping agent for solid state electronic

components • Ion implant (electronic components)

Boron Trichloride

BCI3

• Catalyst in organic syntheses • Source of many boron compounds • Refining of alloys • Soldering flux • Manufacturing of electrical resistors • Extinguishing magnesium fires in heat-

treating furnaces • Ion implant doping (semiconductor

industry)

Boron Trifluoride

Bf3

• Catalyst in organic synthesis • Instruments for measuring neutron

intensity • Silver soldering fluxes • Gas brazing • Ion implant for semiconductors

Bromine Trifluoride BrF3 • Fluorinating agent • Electrolytic solvent

Bromotrifluoroethylene

C2BrF3

• Flotation fluid for gyros or acceleratometers used in inertial guidance systems

1,3 Butadiene

C4H6

• Synthetic elastomers (styrene-butadiene, polybutadiene, neoprene, nitriles)

• ABS resins • Chemical intermediate

Butane

C4H10

• Organic synthesis • Raw materials for synthetic rubber and

high octane liquid fuels • Fuel for household and industrial

purposes • Manufacture of ethylene • Solvent • Refrigerant • Standby and enricher gas • Propellant in aerosols • Pure grades used in calibrating

instruments • Food additive

1-Butane

(1-)C4H8

• Polymer and alkylate gasoline • Polybutenes • Butadiene • Intermediate for C4 and C5 aldehydes,

alcohols, and other derivatives • Production of maleic anhydride by

catalytic oxidation CIS-2-Butene

(CIS-2-) C4H8

• Solvent • Cross-linking agent • Polymer gasoline • Butadiene synthesis • Synthesis of C5 and C5 derivatives

Trans-2-Butene

(trans-2-) C4H8

• Solvent • Cross-linking agent • Polymer gasoline • Butadiene synthesis • Synthesis of C4 and C5 derivatives

Carbon Dioxide

CO2

• Refrigeration • Carbonated beverages • Aerosol propellant

• Chemical intermediate (carbonates, synthetic fibers, paraxylene, etc.)

• Low temperature testing • Fire extinguishing • Inert atmospheres • Municipal water treatment • Medicine • Enrichment of air in greenhouses • Fracturing and acidizing of oil wells • Mining (cardox method) • Miscellaneous pressure source • Hardening of foundry molds and cores • Shielding gas for welding • Cloud seeding • Moderator in some types of nuclear

reactors • Special lasers • Blowing agent

Carbon Monoxide

CO

• Organic synthesis (methanol, ethylene, isocyanates, aldehydes, acrylates, phosgene)

• Fuels (gaseous) • Metallurgy (special steels, reducing

oxides, nickel refining) • Zinc white pigments • Atmospheric control in shipping some

produce items Carbonyl Sulfide

COS

• Synthesis of organic compounds

Chlorine

CI2

• Manufacture of carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, chlorinated hydrocarbons, polychloroprene (neoprene), polyvinyl chloride, hydrogen chloride, ethylene dichloride, hypochlorous acid, metallic chlorides, chloroacetic acid,chlorobenzenes, etc.

• Water purification • Shrinkproofing wool • Flame-retardant compounds • Combined with lithium in special batteries • Processing of meat, fish, vegetables and

fruit • SNIF systems

Cyanogen

(CN)2 • Organic synthesis • Welding and cutting metals • Fumigant in orchid greenhouses • Rocket propellant

Cyclopropane C3H6 • Organic synthesis • Anesthetic

• Anesthetic Deuterium

D2

• Bombardment of atomic nuclei • Tracer element • High energy lasers

Dimethylamine

C2H6NH

• Acid gas absorbent • Solvent • Antioxidants • Manufacturing of dimethylformamide and

dimethylacetamide • Dyes • Flotation agent • Gasoline stabilizers • Pharmaceuticals • Textile chemicals • Rubber accelerators • Electroplating • Hair removal agent • Missile fuels • Pesticide propellant • Rocket propellants • Surfactants • Foundry catalyst

Dimethyl Ether

C2H6O

• Refrigerant • Solvent • Extraction agent • Propellant for specialized sprays • Chemical (reaction medium) • Catalyst and stabilizer in polymerization

Ethane

C2H6

• Petrochemicals (source of ethylene, halogenated ethanes)

• Refrigerant • Fuel

Ethyl acetylene C4H6

• Specialty fuel • Chemical intermediate

Ethyl Chloride

C2H5CI

• Manufacture of tetraethyl lead and ethylcellulose

• Anesthetic • Organic synthesis • Alkylating agent • Refrigeration • Analytical reagent • Solvent for phosphorus, sulfur, fats, oils,

resins and waxes • Insecticides

Ethylene

C2H4 • Polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene oxide, ethylene dichloride, ethylene glycols, aluminum alkyls, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, ethyl chloride, ethylene

chlorohydrin, acetaldehyde, linear alcohols, polystyrene, styrene, polyvinyl chloride, SBR, polyester resins, trichloroethylene, etc

• Refrigerant (LNG plants) • Welding and cutting of metals • Anesthetic • In orchard sprays to accelerate fruit

ripening, plant growth and citrus de-greening

• Witch weed elimination • Cross leakage check between

underground natural gas storage areas Ethylene Oxide

C2H4O

• Manufacture of ethylene glycol and higher glycols

• Surfactants • Acrylonitrile • Ethanolamines • Petroleum demulsifier • Fumigant • Rocket propellant • Industrial sterilization (e.g., medical plastic

tubing) Flourine

F2

• Oxidizer in rocket fuels • Production of metallic and other fluorides • Production of fluorocarbons • Surface modified plastics

Halocarbon 11

CCI3F

• Solvent / degreaser • Fire extinguishers • Refrigerants • Air conditioning • Chemical intermediate • Blowing agent

Halocarbon 12

CCI2F2

• Refrigerant and air conditioner • Aerosol propellant • Plastics • Blowing agent • Low temperature solvent • Leak detecting agent • Freezing of foods by direct contact • Chilling cocktail glasses • Revival of television tubes

Halocarbon 13

CCIF3

• Dielectric and aerospace chemical • Refrigerant and coolant • Hardening of metals • Pharmaceutical processing

Halocarbon 13B1

CBrF3

• Chemical intermediate • Refrigerant • Metal hardening

• Metal hardening • Fire extinguisher

Halocarbon 14

CF4 • Refrigerant • Gaseous insulator

Halocarbon 21

CHCI2F

• Fire extinguishers • Solvent • Refrigerant • Aerosol propellant • Space shuttle application

Halocarbon 22

CHCIF2

• Refrigerant • Low temperature solvent • Fluorocarbon resins (especially

tetrafluoroethylene polymers) Halocarbon 23

CHF3

• Refrigerant • Intermediate in organic synthesis • Direct coolant for infrared detector calls • Blowing agent for urethane foams

Halocarbon 113

C2CI3F3

• Dry-cleaning solvent • Fire extinguishers • Refrigerant • Air-conditioning units • Used in making chlorotrifluoroethylene • Blowing agent • Polymer intermediate • Solvent drying • Drying electronic parts and precision

equipment Halocarbon 114

C2CI2F4

• Solvent • Fire extinguishers • Refrigerant and air-conditioner • Aerosol propellants • Blowing agent • Dielectric fluid

Halocarbon 115 C2CIF5 • Refrigerant • Dielectric gas

Halocarbon 116

C2F6

• Dielectric and coolant • Aerosol propellant • Refrigerant

Halocarbon 142B

C2H3F2CI

• Refrigerant • Solvent • Intermediate

Halocarbon 152A

C2H4F2

• Intermediate • Catalyst regeneration

Halocarbon 1132A

CH2=CF2

• Polymers and copolymers • Chemical intermediate

Helium

He

• Pressurizing rocket fuels • Welding• Inert atmospheres (growing germanium

and silicon crystals) • Inflation of weather and research balloons • Heat transfer medium • Leak detection • Chromatography • Cryogenic research (liquid) • Magnetohydrodymanics • Luminous signs • Geological dating • Aerodynamic research • Diving and space vehicle breathing

equipment • Coolant for nuclear fusion power plants • Super-conducting electric systems (liquid)

Hydrogen

H2

• Production of ammonia and methanol • Hydro-cracking and hydro-fining of

petroleum • Hydrogenation of vegetable oils • Hydrogenolysis of coal • Reducing agent for organic synthesis and

metallic ores • Reducing atmospheres to prevent

oxidation • Oxyhydrogen flame for high temperatures • Atomic-hydrogen welding • Instrument carrying balloons • Making hydrochloric and hydrobromic

acids • Production of high-purity metals • Coolant and propellant (liquid) • Fuel for nuclear rocket engines • Missile fuel • Cryogenic research • Power plant heat transfer medium • Chromotography

Hydrogen Bromide, Anhydrous

HBr

• Organic synthesis • Makes bromides through direct reaction

with alcohols • Intermediates for barbiturate manufacture • Acts as intermediate in the manufacture

of synthetic hormones • Alkylation catalyst

Hydrogen Chloride HCI

• Production of vinyl chloride from acetylene and alkyl chlorides (from olefins)

• Hydrochlorination, polymerization, isomerization, alkylation, and nitration reactions

• Etching gas in semiconductor industry • Pharmaceuticals • Catalyst regeneration • Coke oven cleaning agent (used annually) • Cotton seed lint removal

Hydrogen Fluoride, Anhydrous

HF

• Catalyst in alkylation isomerization, condensation, dehydration, and polymerization reactions

• Fluorinating agent in organic and inorganic reactions

• Production of fluorine and aluminum fluoride

• Additive in liquid rocket propellants • Refining of uranium

Hydrogen Iodide

HI

• Preparation of iodine salts • Organic preparations • Analytical reagent • Pharmaceuticals

Hydrogen Sulfide

H2S

• Purification of hydrochloric and sulfuric acid

• Precipitating sulfides of metals • Reagent • Manufacture of elementary sulfur • Metal sulfide (finisher of metal parts)

Iodine Pentafluoride IF5 • Fluorinating and incendiary agent Isobutane

i-C4H10

• Organic synthesis • Refrigerant • Fuel • Aerosol propellant • High octane gasoline (aviation fuel) • Synthetic rubber • Instrument calibration fluid

Isobutylene

i-C4H8

• Production of isooctane, (high octane aviation gasoline)

• Butyl rubber, polyisobutene resins, tert-butyl chloride, tert-butanol methacrylates and other derivatives

• Copolymer resins with butadiene, acrylonitrile, etc.

Isopentane

i-C5H12

• Solvent • Manufacture of chlorinated derivatives • Blowing agent for polystyrene • Refrigerant in Pritchard LNG plants

Krypton

Kr

• Incandescent and fluorescent light tubes • Lasers • High-speed photography • Space applications (Sky Lab) • Thermal insulator

Methane

CH4

• Methane is a source of petrochemicals through conversion to hydrogen and carbon monoxide by steam cracking or partial oxidation. Important products are methanol, acetylene and hydrogen cyanide. Chlorination results in carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloride. In the form of natural gas, methane is used as a fuel, as a source of carbon black, and as the starting material for the manufacture of synthetic proteins.

• Lab instrumentation flame source • In cryogenic fluid form, used as a

substitute for liquefied natural gas Methyl Acetylene

C3H4

• Specialty fuel • Chemical intermediate

Methyl Bromide

CH3Br

• Soil and space fumigant • Disinfestation of potatoes, tomatoes, and

other crops 3-Methyl-1-Butene

C5H10

• Organic synthesis • High octane fuel manufacture

Methyl Chloride

CH3CI

• Catalyst carrier in low- temperature polymerization (In one rubber)

• Tetramethyl lead • Silicones • Refrigerant • Medicine • Fluid for thermometric and thermostatic

equipment • .Methylating agent in organic synthesis

such as methylcellulose • Extractant and low temperature solvent • Propellant in high�pressure aerosols • Herbicide • Blowing agent for polystyrene • Refrigerant/carrier fluid in solar powered

air conditioning applications • Carbon control in steel production • Remove photo resist material

(semiconductors) Methyl Mercaptan

CH3SH

• Synthesis, especially of methionine, jet fuel additives and fungicides

• A catalyst • Odorant for synthetic and natural gases

Monoethylamine

(C2H5)NH2

• Dye intermediates • Solvent extraction • Petroleum refining • Stabilizer for rubber latex • Detergents • Organic synthesis

Monomethylamine

CH3NH2

• Intermediate for accelerators, dyes, pharmaceuticals, insecticides, fungicides, surface active reagents

• Tanning • Dyeing of acetate textiles • Fuel additive • Polymerization inhibitor • Component of paint removers • Solvent • Photographic developer • Rocket propellant

Natural Gas (LPG)

C4H10

• Fuel and cooking gas • Ammonia synthesis • Petrochemical feedstocks • Carbon black manufacture • Experimental auto fuel

Neon

Ne

• Luminiscent electric tubes and photoelectric bulbs

• Electronic industry • Lasers • Cryogenic research • Spark chamber mix

Nitric Oxide

NO

• Preparation of nitrosyl carbonyls • Incandescent lamps (as a dry, high purity

gas) • Inert gas in electrical systems (as a dry,

high purity gas) Nitrogen Dioxide

NO2

• Production of nitric acid • Nitrating agent • Oxidizing agent • Catalyst • Oxidizer for rocket fuels • Polymerization inhibitor for acrylates

Nitrogen Trioxide

NO3

• Oxidant in special fuel systems • Identification of terpenes • Preparation of pure alkali nitrates

Nitrosyl Chloride

NOCI

• Synthetic detergents • Catalyst • Intermediate

Nitrous Oxide

N2O

• Anesthetic in dentistry and surgery • Propellant gas in food aerosols • Leak detection

• Cryogenic surgery (dentistry, gynecology, new hemorrhoid procedures, cosmetic surgery)

• Atomic absorption oxidizing gas Perfluoropropane

C3F8

• Refrigerant (when combined with chlorofluorohydrocarbons)

• Gaseous insulator, especially for radar wave guides

• Ion implantation Phosgene

COCl2 • Organic synthesis, especially of

isocyanates, polyurethane and polycarbonate resins, carbamates, organic carbonates and chloroformates

Phosphine PH3

• Organic preparations • Phosphonium halides • Polymerization initiator • Condensation catalyst • Doping agent for solid state electronic

components; ion implantation Propane

C3H8

• Organic synthesis • Household and industrial fuel • Manufacture of ethylene • Extractant • Solvent • Refrigerant • Gas enricher • Aerosol propellant • Mixture for bubble chambers

Propylene

C3H6

• Isopropyl alcohol, polypropylene, synthetic glycerol, acrylonitrile, propylene oxide, heptene, cumene, polymer gasoline • Acrylic acid • Vinyl resins • Oxo chemicals • Fuel gas; FG-2 constituent, MAPP gas

Propylene Oxide

C3H6O

• Polyols for urethane foams • Propylene glycols • Surfactants and detergents • Isopropanol amines • Fumigant • Synthetic lubricants • Synthetic elastomer (homopolymer) • Model airplane fuel additive

Silane SiH4

• Epitaxial silicon, silicon nitride, silicon • Polycrystalline silicon (used in controlled

rectifiers) • "Reflective" glass

Silicon Tetrafluoride

SiF4

• Manufacture of fluosilicic acid • To seal water out of oil wells during

drillings • Semiconductor industry

Sulfur Dioxide

SO2

• Chemicals (sulfuric acid, salt cake, sulfites, hydrosulfites potassium and sodium, thiosulfates, alum from shale, recovery of volatile substances)

• Sulfite paper pulp • Ore and metal refining • Soybean protein • Intermediates • Solvent extraction of lubricating oils • Bleaching agent for oils, foods • Sulfonation of oils • Disinfecting and fumigating • Food additive (inhibition of browning, of

enzyme catalyzed reactions, bacterial growth)

• Preservation of grapes • Reducing agent • Antioxidant • Beer application to inhibit nitrosomines - a

treatment in the malting process • Reduction of nitrous amine in molting

process Sulfur Hexafluoride

SF6

• Dielectric (gaseous insulator for electrical equipment and wave guides)

• Fluxing agent - magnesium industry • Leak detection • Air pollution tracing gas • X-ray units at airport baggage area

Sulfur Tetrafluoride

SF4

• Fluorinating agent for making water and oil repellants, and lubricity improvements

Sulfuryl Fluoride

F2O2S

• Insecticide • Fumigant

Trimethylamine

(CH3)3N

• Organic synthesis, especially of choline salts

• Warning agent for natural gas • Manufacture of disinfectants • Flotation agent • Insect attractant • Quaternary ammonium compounds • Plastics

Vinyl Methyl Ether

C3H6O

• Copolymers used in coatings and lacquers

• Modifier for alkyl, polystyrene and ionomer resins

• Modifier for alkyl, polystyrene and ionomer resins

• Plasticizer for nitrocellulose and adhesives

Xenon

Xe

• Luminiscent tubes • Flash lamps in photography • Fluorimetry • Lasers • Tracer studies • Anaesthesia • Sky Lab - plate coating to pick up the

tailings from to determine composition