Element 36 · Noble Gas
Krypton
Krypton is a noble gas used in high-performance lighting and double-glazing.
Element Facts
SYMBOL
Kr
ATOMIC NO.
36
ATOMIC WEIGHT
83.798
CATEGORY
Noble Gas
PERIOD
Period 4
GROUP
Group 18
History
Krypton was discovered in 1898 by William Ramsay and Morris Travers by fractional distillation of liquid air, in the same series of experiments that found neon and xenon. Named from the Greek for “hidden”. For most of the 20th century its primary use was in energy-efficient incandescent and halogen light bulbs, where it improved efficiency over argon-filled bulbs. From 1960 to 1983, the krypton-86 emission line was the official international definition of the metre.
Uses Today
Current uses include krypton-filled halogen light bulbs (though being replaced by LEDs), high-power krypton fluoride excimer lasers used in semiconductor lithography (deep ultraviolet, 248 nm), scientific research instruments, and krypton-85 isotope sources for illuminated aircraft emergency exits and beta-radioluminescent sources.
Why We Don't Buy It
Why QuickStop Metals doesn’t buy Krypton:
Krypton is a noble gas — completely chemically inert, existing only as a monatomic gas. There is no metal content, no solid form at room temperature, and no scrap trade.
Value & Pricing
Krypton is one of the more expensive industrial gases, ranging from approximately £250–500 per cubic metre for bulk supply. It comprises only about 1 part per million of the Earth’s atmosphere. Not a scrap material.