Influence of Electrode Surface Conditions on the Electrical Strength of Liquified Gases

The strengths of liquified argon, oxygen and nitrogen are of the order of 1 mv/cm but are found to depend to a marked degree on the nature of the electrode surfaces. The strength can be changed in a regular manner (sometimes by as much as 50%) by changing both the electrode metal and the degree of surface oxidation. The important discovery is that the anode as well as the cathode has a strong influence on the strength. This surprising result has, as yet, no obvious explanation in terms of usual breakdown mechanisms but may be very significant, not only for theories of breakdown in these liquids but for hydrocarbon liquids as well.