Bottom line first

  • Default to N₂ for most electronics/polymer/OLED/perovskite and standard battery work—same ppm capability, far lower cost.
  • Use Ar for fresh Li/NaK, nitridation-sensitive metals/catalysts (Ti/Zr/early TMs), or reactive metal powders—chosen for chemistry compatibility, not ppm “magic.”

Photo by Seaborg, CC BY-SA 3.0

When Argon is a must (quick guide)

  • Alkali/strongly reducing metals → Ar
  • Nitridation-sensitive catalysts (Ti/Zr/early TMs) → Ar
  • General R&D, OLED, perovskite, typical battery assembly → N₂

Purifier & regeneration notes

  • Copper catalyst + molecular sieve works for both gases.
  • Regeneration typically uses ≤5% H₂ in N₂. If you run Ar, isolate the regen loop or temporarily swap to N₂ and fully purge after.
  • Targets: O₂ ≤1–5 ppm, dew point ≤ –40 °C. What truly drives ppm is leak rate + antechamber discipline.

Cost & operations

  • For the same throughput, N₂ is orders of magnitude cheaper than Ar; yearly TCO differences dominate.
  • If only a few steps need Ar, install dual gas plumbing: run N₂ 90% of the time, switch to Ar for the sensitive step, then back.

Rollout checklist

  1. Choose gas by chemistry risk, then validate purifier/regen plan.
  2. Run +3–+8 mbar overpressure; set O₂/dew-point alarms and daily logs.
  3. Enforce three-cycle antechamber SOP to cut purifier load.
  4. Quarterly calibrate O₂ and dew-point; let data trigger regeneration.
  5. When adding Li/early-TM workflows, re-review gas choice.

Photo: Unnerving duck, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Older Antechamber Discipline That Actually Works (Concise)