Borax

Borax
Borax crystals
Ball-and-stick model of the unit cell of borax decahydrate
Names
IUPAC name
disodium;3,7-dioxido-2,4,6,8,9-pentaoxa-1,3,5,7-tetraborabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane;decahydrate[1]
Other names
  • Borax decahydrate
  • Sodium borate decahydrate
  • Sodium tetraborate decahydrate
  • Sodium tetrahydroxy tetraborate hexahydrate
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
EC Number
E number E285 (preservatives)
KEGG
RTECS number
  • VZ2275000
UNII
  • InChI=1S/B4O7.2Na.10H2O/c5-1-7-3-9-2(6)10-4(8-1)11-3;;;;;;;;;;;;/h;;;10*1H2/q-2;2*+1;;;;;;;;;;
    Key: CDMADVZSLOHIFP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • InChI=1/B4O7.2Na.10H2O/c5-1-7-3-9-2(6)10-4(8-1)11-3;;;;;;;;;;;;/h;;;10*1H2/q-2;2*+1;;;;;;;;;;
    Key: CDMADVZSLOHIFP-UHFFFAOYAP
  • [Na+].[Na+].O0B(O)O[B-]1(O)OB(O)O[B-]0(O)O1.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O
Properties
Na2B4O5(OH)4·8H2O
Molar mass 381.36 g·mol−1
Appearance White or colorless crystalline solid
Density 1.73 g/cm3 (decahydrate, solid)[2]
Melting point 743 °C (1,369 °F; 1,016 K) (anhydrous)[2]
75 °C (decahydrate, decomposes)[2]
Boiling point 1,575 °C (2,867 °F; 1,848 K) (anhydrous)[2]
31.7 g/L [2]
−85.0·10−6 cm3/mol (anhydrous)[2]: p.4.135 
n1=1.447, n2=1.469, n3=1.472 (decahydrate)[2]: p.4.139 
Structure[3]
Monoclinic, mS92, No. 15
C2/c
2/m
a = 1.1885 nm, b = 1.0654 nm, c = 1.2206 nm
α = 90°, β = 106.623°°, γ = 90°
1.4810 nm3
4
Pharmacology
S01AX07 (WHO)
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS08: Health hazard
H360
P201, P308+P313
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):
PEL (Permissible)
none[4]
REL (Recommended)
TWA 1 mg/m3 (anhydrous and pentahydrate)[4][5]
TWA 5 mg/m3 (decahydrate)[6]
IDLH (Immediate danger)
N.D.[4]
Related compounds
Other anions
Sodium aluminate
Other cations
Lithium tetraborate
Related compounds
Boric acid, sodium perborate
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Borax (also referred to as sodium borate, tincal (/ˈtɪŋkəl/) and tincar (/ˈtɪŋkər/)) is a salt (ionic compound), a hydrated or anhydrous borate of sodium, with the chemical formula Na2H20B4O17 (also written as Na2B4O7·10H2O[1][a]).

It is a colorless crystalline solid that dissolves in water to make a basic solution.

It is commonly available in powder or granular form and has many industrial and household uses, including as a pesticide, as a metal soldering flux, as a component of glass, enamel, and pottery glazes, for tanning of skins and hides, for artificial aging of wood, as a preservative against wood fungus, and as a pharmaceutic alkalizer. In chemical laboratories, it is used as a buffering agent.[1][8]

The terms tincal and tincar refer to native borax, historically mined from dry lake beds in various parts of Asia.[9]

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference NIMH.borax was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Cite error: The named reference haynes2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference levy1978 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference PGCH57 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference PGCH59 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference PGCH58 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference NFPA2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference CompTox was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference amoz2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).


© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search