Nitrogen gas: Characteristics
From oil-field grade to parts per billion for chips
What this tab covers The physical and chemical properties that set its grade, price and uses, with the commercial grades and the standards that define them.Purity, form and pressure decide price. Oil field and food nitrogen can be 95-99.5%, chemicals usually 99.9%, and fabs need parts-per-billion impurities. Liquid nitrogen boils at -196 C and gives about 690 litres of gas per litre.
Properties that matter commercially
| Property | Value / specification | Why it matters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity | 95% (membrane) to 99.9999% (cryogenic UHP) | sets route and price | industry practice (indicative) |
| Boiling point | -196 C | cryogenic freezing and storage | physical data |
| Expansion ratio | about 690 litres of gas per litre of liquid | liquid is the efficient way to deliver | physical data (indicative) |
| Density of gas | 1.25 kg per Nm3 | converts Nm3 prices to tonnes | physical data |
Commercial grades
- Industrial 99.5-99.9%
- High purity 99.999% (grade 5.0)
- Ultra-high purity for semiconductors
- Food grade (E941)
- Liquid nitrogen for cryogenics