Element 10 · Noble Gas
Neon
The classic neon sign gas — and a critical material in semiconductor manufacturing.
Element Facts
SYMBOL
Ne
ATOMIC NO.
10
ATOMIC WEIGHT
20.180
CATEGORY
Noble Gas
PERIOD
Period 2
GROUP
Group 18
Background
Neon was discovered in 1898 by William Ramsay and Morris Travers by fractional distillation of liquid air, shortly after they isolated krypton. Named from the Greek for “new”. Neon signs, which glow orange-red when an electric current passes through the gas, were patented by Georges Claude in 1910 and first displayed publicly in Paris. By the 1920s–1940s, neon signage became an iconic feature of city centres worldwide.
Industrial Uses
Neon’s main uses include neon signs (though being replaced by LED), neon-helium lasers used in scanning and holography, high-voltage indicator tubes, and cryogenic research. A significant and growing use is in the semiconductor industry, where neon-helium excimer lasers are used in lithography for chip manufacturing.
Scrap Viability
Why QuickStop Metals doesn’t buy Neon:
Neon is a noble gas — completely chemically inert, colourless, and existing only as a monatomic gas. There is no metal content and no scrap trade.
What It's Worth
Neon prices surged dramatically after 2022 following disruption to Ukrainian production (a major byproduct of Russian steelmaking), rising from approximately £80–150 per cubic metre to over £1,000. Neon is a critical material for semiconductor manufacturing. It is not a scrap material.