What are Argon and Hydrogen Gas Blends?
The Linde HydroStar® shielding gas blends are primarily used for joining austenitic stainless steels utilizing the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW or TIG) process. Hydrogen increases heat input to the base materials while providing a reducing atmosphere to enhance weld cleanliness. Significant advantages in travel speed over pure argon can be attained.
Principal Applications
Additions of 2-5% are generally used for manual TIG welding of stainless steel food service equipment, railings, and aerospace components. Hydrogen additions of 10-15% are generally used in the mechanized welding of austenitic stainless steel tubing.
| Mixture | Composition AR% | Composition H2% | Cylinder Style | Volume (cf) | Pressure (psig) | Part Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HydroStar® H-2 | 98 | 2 | T K | 300 223 | 2,400 2,000 | AR STAR16-T AR STAR16-K |
| HydroStar® H-5 | 95 | 5 | T K | 297 221 | 2,400 2,000 | AR STAR5-T AR STAR5-K |
| HydroStar® H-10 | 90 | 10 | T K | 293 218 | 2,400 2,000 | AR STAR57-T AR STAR57-K |
| HydroStar® H-35 | 65 | 35 | T K | 276 207 | 2,400 2,000 | AR STAR56-T AR STAR56-K |
Warning: Special safety precautions are required when mixing argon and hydrogen. Do NOT attempt to mix argon and hydrogen from separate cylinders.
Note: Oxygen and carbon dioxide are chemically reactive and should not be used with GTAW. Their oxidation potential can cause severe erosion and degradation of the tungsten electrode at arc temperatures.
HydroStar H-2 and H-5 Gas Blends
These blends are used for manual welding applications. The HydroStar H-5 blend is preferred on material thicknesses above 1/16 inch. These blends are also suitable for use with GTAW when welding 300 series austenitic stainless steels and as a back purge gas on stainless steel materials.
HydroStar H-10 Gas Blend
This blend is preferred for high-speed GTAW mechanized applications on austenitic stainless steel.
HydroStar H-15 Gas Blend
This blend, which contains 15% hydrogen, is used most often for welding butt joints in stainless steel at speeds comparable to helium, and 50 percent faster than argon. The HydroStar H-15 blend is also used to increase the speed of welding 300 series stainless steel. It can be used on all thicknesses of stainless steel. Concentrations greater than 15% may cause weld metal porosity, with multi-pass applications.
HydroStar H-35 Gas Blend
It is recommended as the plasma gas with plasma arc gauging, when cutting aluminum and stainless steel and when cut quality and face appearance are critical.