Characteristics of the high-current Argon arc

A CAREFUL and precise study of a controlled arc in a current range of 25 to 100 amperes is described in this article. The study was made to obtain a quantitative picture of the effects on the arc produced by the electrode materials and the gas in which the arc burns. Argon was chosen as an atmosphere rather than air to simplify conditions by eliminating chemical reactions between the gas and the electrodes, and by presenting the effects of one gas rather than a mixture of gases. The electrode materials were tungsten, tantalum, molybdenun, titanium, iron, and copper, chosen to give a wide variety of properties.