LN2 Facts
Nitrogen (N2) makes up the major portion of the earth’s atmosphere, accounting for 78.08% of total volume. It is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic and almost totally inert gas. It can be an asphyxiant in high concentrations.
Liquid Nitrogen has many uses including:
Preserving specimens
Rapid freezing from liquid nitrogen can be used to preserve tissue such as blood and bone marrow. Liquid nitrogen is also used to store embryos, semen, bacteria, fungi and other biologic samples.
Cryosurgery
Cryosurgery is a technique for removing skin lesions that primarily involve the surface of the skin, such as warts, seborrheic keratosis, or actinic keratosis. It is a quick method of removing the lesion with minimal scarring.
Making ice cream
Ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen is the purest, freshest ice cream you can experience. It is smooth, creamy and light in texture. LN2 is also used in many other culinary applications.
Recycling tires
Rubber tires are built to be durable, making them hard to destroy. Freezing makes them brittle so they can be smashed into ‘crumbs’ for uses such as running tracks, cushioned playground surfaces and more.
Science projects
Freezing flowers and watching them shatter, freezing balloons, making nitrogen fog etc… Have your School’s Science department contact us today!
It is also used for:
- Freezing and transport of food products
- Coolant for superconductors, vacuum pumps and other equipment
- Quick freezing of pipes or water to allow work when valves are not available
- Cooling materials for easier machining or fracturing
F.A.Q.’s
Liquid nitrogen is the liquefied form of the element nitrogen that is commercially produced by fractional distillation of liquid air. Like nitrogen gas, it consists of two nitrogen atoms sharing covalent bonds (N2).
Liquid Nitrogen is safe when handled correctly. It is non-toxic, odourless, and colourless. It is relatively inert. It is not flammable.
Liquid nitrogen is stored in special insulated containers that are vented to prevent pressure build-up. Depending on the design of the dewar or flask, it can be stored for hours up to a few weeks.
Nitrogen is in a liquid state when at a very low temperature. Liquid nitrogen boils at 77 kelvin (−196 °C, −321 °F).
LN2 displays the Leidenfrost effect, which means it boils so rapidly, it surrounds surfaces with an insulating layer of nitrogen gas. This is why spilled nitrogen droplets skitter across a floor.