Discovered in 1894, argon is a rare gas characterised by high chemical inertia. It accounts for just under 1% of the air. It is colourless and odourless, boiling at around -186°C and solidifying at around -189°C at atmospheric pressure.
Argon’s most common applications are in welding processes, where the gas protects the molten pool and promotes the creation of an electric arc. Due to its low ionisation temperature, argon is also suitable for PSW (plasma arc welding) operations, where it is used not only as a protective gas (as in TIG or MIG welding), but also to generate the electric arc.
