IUPAC Name
Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate
Cas Number
1303-96-4
HS Code
28402090
Formula
B4Na2O7.10H2O
Appearance
White Powder Crystalline
Common Names
Boraxdecahydrate, Sodium boratedecahydrate
Packaging
25 Kg Bag
Brief Overview
Borax (or sodium tetraborate decahydrate) is a white colored inorganic powder having the formula Na2B4O7·10H2O or Na2[B4O5(OH)4]·8H2O. It is a compound of the element boron and is also a salt of the compound called boric acid. It occurs naturally as Evaporite, or as a combination of various hydrates of borax. Some of the major properties of borax are its high solubility in water, its ability to produce a yellowish green colored flame when ignited, it acts as a mildly alkaline salt, its good chemical stability, and it has good buffering and fluxing properties.
Manufacturing Process
The most commercial methods for producing borax starts from the usage of the natural minerals available in mines or lakes. The slurry consisting of a mixture of minerals like ulexite, colemanite, etc, are pumped to solar evaporation ponds. Impurities such as sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium sulfate are concentrated and crystallized and are removed either by filtration or by rapid cooling to ensure selective crystallization. The filtered brine is then reacted with sulphate cake derived from the liquid-liquid extraction process product to get potassium sulphate and potassium chloride, which are further precipitated. The resulting solution is cooled such that borax pentahydrate is precipitated from the remaining solution. This borax compound is then redissolved, hydrated, and then filtered to finally produce borax decahydrate.
Fertilizer
Boron is an essential micronutrient for growth and development of healthy plants and in agriculture. The three main application methods include broadcast, banding and foliar applications. Borax Decahydrate are given to the soil directly in the solid form and dissolved in humid conditions as it is taken up by the plants’ roots. Another application technique is borates are sprayed over the leaves since some plants intake better through their leaves. In some cases spraying is a better way of fertilizing particularly if the season for dry bulk blend broadcast has expired. The amount of boron used in the soil as fertilizer varies according to application, rain, soiling liming, organic matter and more importantly plant type.
Glass and Ceramic Industry
Borax Decahydrate can improve adhesion and provide a strong thermal bond between the base and the protective surface. Moreover, it cost cheaper as it has higher bulk density.
Soap and Detergent Industry
Borax is most known for its use in detergent industry as borax helps with the removal of oily soils from fabrics, imparts alkalinity, pH buffering, and softening of the wash water.
Metal Recovery
It is used to dissolve certain metal oxides in order to recover metals such as brass, copper, lead, and zinc.
Cosmetics and toiletries
Borax decahydrate is used as a cross linking agent to emulsify waxes and other paraffin as the base of lotions, creams, and ointments.
Pharmaceuticals industry
Borax is the source of borate that is a suitable polymer bed used in medicine to diagnose hyperglycemia in diabete mellitus.
Corrosion Inhibitor
Due to its ability to prevent ferrous metals from oxidising, they are used in coolants and antifreeze for automobiles.
Adhesive
It is used in starch formulations for making adhesives for corrugated paperboards and paper. It is also used for making dextrin based adhesives.
Cleaning industry
As stated earlier, broax is also commonly used for cleaning agent. In industrial institutional borax is used for cleaning compund and it can also clean hard surfaces such as metals, glass, ceramics.
Paper industry
Borax decahydrate is also used for starch adhesive formulation for corrugated paper and paperboard.
Water Treatment
Borax is tend to be used as corrosion inhibitors and pH buffers in hear exchange which is important for devices that use aqueous solutions, It can bs used as buffer to keep acidic chemicals from destroying metals and other important surfaces within wastewater treatment plants.
Other applications
Borax decahydrate is also used for polishing and waxes, and it can also be used as a car antifreeze formulations as it is highly soluble in ethylene glycol.
