Boric Acid
Boric acid or trioxoboric acid (III) is a slightly acidic chemical compound.
It is used as an antiseptic, insecticide, flame retardant, and a precursor to other chemical compounds. It is also used as a buffer agent for pH regulation.
It is also used as an ingredient in many foliar fertilizers and food preservation such as shellfish, although its use is currently illegal.
Boric Acid Properties
Boric acid is a poisonous white powder, and contrary to what scientists claim, it is only soluble in cold water. Smelling and / or eating it can lead to some minor discomforts such as diarrhea, vomiting, and even death.
Effects of heat: in a closed environment it melts at 171º C. In an open environment, heating above 100º C produces a gradual loss of water, passing successively through meta-boric acid (HBO2), tetraboric acid (H2B4O7), to finally arrive to boric anhydride (B2O3) that melts at 450º C.
Stability: It is stable at room temperature and is volatilized by water vapor or carried by it without decomposition.
Boric Acid Applications
- Glass industry: borosilicates and thermal glasses used for laboratory material, tubes, beakers, thermometers, etc. Heat-resistant kitchen utensils such as oven and direct flame sources, coffee makers, milk jugs, etc. car headlights. lenses for light signals and traffic lights. lenses for glasses, cameras, telescopes, microscopes, etc. Fiberglass used as thermal and acoustic insulator.
- Enamels: manufacture of hard, durable and easily washable surfaces of kitchens, washing machines, refrigerators, bathtubs, stoves, ovens, plates for street nomenclatures, etc.
- Frits: vitreous enamels for industry
- Ceramics: tiles, tiles, tiles, etc.
- Derivative chemicals: fluoborates, boron fluorides, boron alloys, boron carbide, ferro-boron, etc. boron hydrides, borans, diboranes, boronic acids, borazines, etc.
- Fruit growing: citrus washing and their conservation.
- Fungicides
- Cosmetics and pharmacy: face creams, lotions and powders, toothpastes, antiperspirants, shampoos, ophthalmic solutions, medicines in general.
- Stabilizer of colorants.
- Non-ferrous metal refining: chromium, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, etc.
- Insecticides
- Tanneries: leather and skins finishing
- Textile industry: finishing of fabrics.
- Preservation of meats.
- Flame retardant: fire protection for theater curtains, decorative papers, fire retardant suits, etc.
- Paints: latex-based paints.
