Boric Acid

Alternate Names: Boracic acid, Orthoboric Acid, Hydrous Boric Oxide

Oxide	Analysis	Formula
B2O3	56.31%	1.00
H2O	43.60%	n/a
Oxide Weight		69.60
Formula Weight		123.40

Notes

Boric acid is a crystalline water soluble boron mineral. It is white in appearance and can be used as granules or as a powder. Both forms are stable under normal conditions, free-flowing, and easily handled by means of air or mechanical conveying. In solution, they are mildly acidic.

Boric Acids are used as the B₂O₃ source in the formulation frit. Fast fire frits for tiles find this material especially useful (compared to the deca and pentahydrate forms) because of their requirement for low sodium levels.

It is currently produced at Bandirma Boric Acid plant in Turkey and at Rio Tinto Borax. Depending on the particle size, the product is classified as "Granular" and "Powder".

Boric oxide can be used in sintering to initiate the bonding process, even with pure silica (and it doesn't volatilize).

Related Information

Original Container Bag of Boric Acid

Links

URLs	http://www.etimineusa.com/boric_acid.htm Boric Acid Data Sheet
URLs	http://www.borax.com/pdfs/dist/Profile_Optibor_Boric_Acids.pdf Optibor Data Sheet
Materials	Anhydrous Borax A white, odorless product crystalline granular by dehydrating Borax to remove the crystal bound water.
Materials	Borax Pentahydrate
Materials	Borax Decahydrate
Materials	Boric Oxide
Materials	Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate
Typecodes	Generic Material Generic materials are those with no brand name. Normally they are theoretical, the chemistry portrays what a specimen would be if it had no contamination. Generic materials are helpful in educational situations where students need to study material theory (later they graduate to dealing with real world materials). They are also helpful where the chemistry of an actual material is not known. Often the accuracy of calculations is sufficient using generic materials.
Typecodes	Flux Source Materials that source Na2O, K2O, Li2O, CaO, MgO and other fluxes but are not feldspars or frits. Remember that materials can be flux sources but also perform many other roles. For example, talc is a flux in high temperature glazes, but a matting agent in low temperatures ones. It can also be a flux, a filler and an expansion increaser in bodies.
Oxides	B2O3 - Boric Oxide
Minerals	Borate Minerals The major borate minerals are Colemanite and Ulexite. The geology required for borates is found in v
Minerals	Boracite Hardness: 7 Density: 2.9-3 Soluble in HCl Water insoluble Popular flux particularly at the mi
Glossary	Water Solubility The water solubility of ceramic materials is an important consideration to their usability in the process. Glazes are suspensions of insert powders, solubles present problems to this system.

By Tony Hansen
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