Neon is refined through a process that leverages the properties of liquid air and activated charcoal. The primary method is fractional distillation.
Here's a breakdown of the neon refinement process:
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Liquefaction of Air: The process begins by liquefying air. This involves cooling air to extremely low temperatures, typically around -200°C (-328°F), until it transitions into a liquid state.
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Fractional Distillation: Liquid air is then subjected to fractional distillation. This technique exploits the different boiling points of the various components in liquid air (nitrogen, oxygen, argon, neon, helium, etc.). As the liquid air is slowly warmed, each component vaporizes at its specific boiling point.
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Collection of Neon-Helium Fraction: The fractional distillation process yields a fraction that is enriched in both neon and helium because their boiling points are quite close together and significantly lower than other components like nitrogen, oxygen, and argon.
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Separation with Activated Charcoal: The neon-helium mixture is then passed through activated charcoal at very low temperatures. Helium is not adsorbed (meaning it does not stick to the surface) well by activated charcoal at low temperatures, whereas neon is adsorbed by the charcoal.
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Desorption of Neon: By carefully increasing the temperature, the neon can be desorbed (released) from the activated charcoal, resulting in purified neon gas. This step may be repeated to further improve the purity of the neon.
In summary, neon refinement is primarily achieved through fractional distillation of liquid air, followed by separation of neon from helium using activated charcoal.
