1. An inert gas such as helium or unreactive gas such as nitrogen used in the chromatographic separation of gases. The carrier gas is the mobile phase and transports the gaseous substances to be separated through a long tube or column containing a packing material known as the stationary phase. The substances have different retention times and are detected as they are eventually eluted from the column.
2. A gas used in a thermal spraying coating process in which melted or heated materials such as powders are sprayed onto a surface.