Scientists develop non-flammable air

[Dover]

Scientists develop non-flammable air

Russian scientists have developed a new kind of air which can be breathed but which doesn't burn.

The non-flammable oxygen-argon mix is for use in spaceships and possible future bases on other planets.

It could form the basis for breathing on future colonies on Mars or even the Moon.

The Moscow-based Institute for Biomedical Problems said initial tests had been successfully completed.

But more tests are still needed to see if the air would be suitable for long-term use in colonies...cont'd

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1196686.html?menu=news.scienceanddiscovery

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Oxygen is oxygen.....?

[phantom power]

2. No kidding. What are they talking about??

[Tace]

3. It Would Seem That Oxygen Burns In Nitrogen, But Not Argon

Air is mostly nitrogen, by volume.

[phantom power]

4. I'm very, very dubious.

When something burns, it's oxygen reacting with whatever it is that's burning. Nitrogen has nothing do to with it.

Unless nitrogen plays some role in producing intermediate species. But I've never heard of such a thing, anywhere. (but then, I'm not a chemist).

[TreasonousBastard]

5. I don't get it...

oxygen (or air) doesn't burn, but supports combustion, as does chlorine.

So, somehow replacing the nitrogen in air with argon suppresses combustion, but still allows the oxygen to be used in life processes?

Could be that argon being heavier than nitrogen, and being a noble gas, interferes somehow with rapid combustion.

(It's been a long time since I took chemistry)

[mainegreen]

6. Fire doesn't burn well below 12% Oxygen

in the air, but humans can survive with O2 levels above 8%. A narrow margin. Perhaps the argon lowers the limit of O2 percentage needed in air for us to breathe properly? It could enhance the uptake of 02 in our lungs.

Or something.

[Xithras]

7. Ooh, a possible replacement for our datacenters old Halon system...

We have a dangerous datacenter here...one huge room with one door in a far corner, protected by an old Halon supression system. We've discussed numerous times that, if a fire ever broke out near the door, we'd be screwed and suffocate in the Halon (or worse...there are two emergency masks in the room, but it has a regular staff of 5 and there are typically upwards of 8 people in the room.

A breathable gas that doesn't burn...that sounds like a every datacenter managers holy grail.

[mainegreen]

8. Some data centers do use argon

I hear. Argons not cheap, though...