The chemical formula of xenon is kr, which is a natural noble gas with the largest relative atomic mass and the highest density. The main application of xenon is in the lighting industry, but also used in the medical and semiconductor industries.
Xenon is obtained from air separation plants. In view of its very low natural concentration in air, it is only economically viable to recover xenon from larger plants. In these cases a stream containing a mixture of crude xenon and krypton is extracted from the plant and processed in a separate purification and distillation system.
Gas
Xenon
CAS No.
7440-63-3
Purity
99.999%
Applications
Chips
Xenon can be used as purging gas in the etching production steps in the chips production instead of argon. Due to the high cost a xenon recovery system is necessary.
Lasers
Xenon is used in some types of ion and excimer lasers. These are used for medical, semiconductor and industrial applications, and for research.
Lighting
The major application for xenon is in the lighting industry. Both sodium and mercury lamps, which are used extensively for outdoor lighting, such as on motorways and other roads, are filled with pure xenon.
Chemical
Xenon based chemical compounds (fluoride, trioxide, perxenate) serve as fluorinating and oxidizing agents in certain specific applications.
Medical
Xenon isotopes are used as trace markers in MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans. Xenon can be used as a general anaesthetic.
Medical
Xenon has been used by both European as well as NASA spacecraft as rocket fuel for small ion thrusters to position satellites in orbit.
