The specialty gas industry supplies natural gas mixtures of varying purity grades as well as related products like disposable cylinders for several applications. The market for specialty gases is poised for significant growth over the next six years, making it an industry worth understanding. This overview should help.

What Is A Specialty Gas?

Specialty gases consist of rare or pure gases, as well as minor gases employed in specialized applications. They fall into two categories, either pure gases or gas mixtures. There are several specialty gases, including the following examples:

• High Purity
• Noble
• Carbon
• Halogen

The major manufacturers of gas all offer specialty gases in a range of different grades. These include high purity, which must be a minimum of 99.998% pure, ultra-high purity, with a required 99.999% purity, and research grade purity, which must be at least 99.9999% purity to receive that classification.
Each of the gases listed above, as well as others, offers benefits to several industries due to unique elements or properties. Utilizing specialty gases allows firms to lower costs, enhance firm efficiency, and improve production, placing these gases in high demand.
The various natural gas mixes that comprise specialty gases must be handled with care. Specialty gas equipment like disposable cylinders must be purchased from specialty gas suppliers to ensure they meet safety standards. Although useful, specialty gases are usually highly toxic and dangerous if not stored correctly.

Specialty Gas Applications

The industries that employ these gases and gas mixtures use them in one or more of the six application categories, which are listed below.

• Electronics and Semiconductors: Specialty gases are used for source materials, etchants, and other products in the electronics industry.
• Analytical and Calibration: Included within this category are academic applications, with specialty gases employed for research either as a tool or as the subject of research itself.
• Refrigeration: The use of specialty gases for refrigeration consists of both domestic and industrial applications.
• Medical and Healthcare: Drug development depends heavily on specialty gases, and they are also used for cell cultures, cryopreservation, and fermentation.
• Manufacturing: Most categories of manufacturing utilize specialty gases at some point of their process, including the automotive industry and food and beverage companies.
• Other: Specialty gases are adaptable and can even be created based on customer specifications, leaving opportunities for future applications wide open.

The Specialty Gas Market

The industry producing these gas mixtures and disposable cylinders is set to grow significantly. According to predictions based on market research analysis, the global specialty gas market will grow between 2017 and 2021 at a CAGR of greater than 6%. Furthermore, the market is expected to exceed $14 billion by 2026, driven by cost reduction, greater efficiency, and yield improvements.
The six applications of specialty gases will continue to impact much of the world as the market continues to grow. Disposable cylinders used with any of these gas mixtures used in these industries influence the course of human life daily, something the market is now reflecting with significant growth, set to continue for the foreseeable future.