BORIC ACID (ORTHO BORIC ACID)

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a weakly acidic hydrate of boric oxide with mild antiseptic, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used to treat yeast infections and acne, for eyewash by treating any bacterial infection and soothing inflamed eyes, and as a cleanser, deodorizer, stain remover, disinfectant and mold killer. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used as a pesticide to control a variety of pests, as a fungicide for citrus, and as an herbicide along rights-of-way. 

CAS:    10043-35-3
MF:    BH3O3
MW:    61.83
EINECS:    233-139-2

Synonyms
Boric Acid, Powder, Reagent;Boricacid,99.8%;boric acid solution;boric acid，technical;boric acid for condenser;boric acid for high purity;boric acid for medicine;boric acid for photographic grade;BORIC ACID;Orthoboric acid;10043-35-3;Boracic acid;Borofax;Boric acid (H3BO3);Boron hydroxide;Boron trihydroxide;Basilit B;11113-50-1;Three Elephant;Boric acid (BH3O3);Trihydroxyborone;Flea Prufe;Super Flea Eliminator;Orthoborsaeure;Borsaeure;Borsaure;Trihydroxyborane;Orthoboric acid (B(OH)3);Optibor;Acidum boricum;NCI-C56417;Dr.'s 1 Flea Terminator DT;component of Aci-Jel;Dr.'s 1 Flea Terminator DFPBO;Dr.'s 1 Flea Terminator DF;Boric acid (VAN);Bluboro;Boricum acidum;Caswell No. 109;Dr.'s 1 Flea Terminator DTPBO;trihydroxidoboron;Boric acid flakes;B(OH)3;Collyrium Eye Wash;Niban Granular Bait;CCRIS 855;MFCD00011337;NSC 81726;HSDB 1432;Ant flip;Homberg's salt;Orthoboric acid (H3BO3);EINECS 233-139-2;UNII-R57ZHV85D4;NSC-81726;Boric acid (TN);EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 011001;INS NO.284;R57ZHV85D4;CHEBI:33118;AI3-02406;INS-284;(10B)Orthoboric acid;Boric acid (h(sub 3)bo(sub 3));H3BO3;DTXSID1020194;E-284;EC 233-139-2;[B(OH)3];NSC81726;NCGC00090745-02;BORIC ACID (II);BORIC ACID [II];Orthboric Acid;BORIC ACID (MART.);BORIC ACID [MART.];BORIC ACID (USP-RS);BORIC ACID [USP-RS];Borsaure [German];DTXCID10194;BORIC ACID (EP IMPURITY);BORIC ACID [EP IMPURITY];BORIC ACID (EP MONOGRAPH);BORIC ACID [EP MONOGRAPH];(B(OH)3);Kjel-sorb;Kill-off;ortho-boric acid;Boric acid [USAN:JAN];EINECS 237-478-7;hydrogen orthoborate;BO3;CAS-10043-35-3;Boric acid [JAN:NF];BORIC ACID, ACS;Canagyn;acido borico;The Killer;Boric acid;V-Bella;HYLAFEM;Bluboro (Salt/Mix);Homeopathic Antifungal;Boric acid ACS grade;GYNOX-SOFT;Boric acid, Puratronic?;WLN: QBQQ;BORIC ACID [MI];Boric acid, ACS reagent;BORIC ACID [JAN];Heptaoxotetra-Borate(2-);bmse000941;Boric acid (JP15/NF);Boric acid (JP18/NF);Acidum boricum (Salt/Mix);BORIC ACID [VANDF];Boric acid, NF/USP grade;BORIC ACID [WHO-DD];Boric acid, biochemical grade;BIDD:ER0252;Boric Acid - 0.5g Tablets;BORICUM ACIDUM [HPUS];CHEMBL42403;BORIC ACID (B(OH)3);Boric acid Electrophoresis grade;Collyrium Eye Wash(Salt/Mix);HYLAFEMBORICUM ACIDUM 3X;BDBM39817;KGBXLFKZBHKPEV-UHFFFAOYSA-;Boric acid, 99.9% metals basis;BCP21018;Boric acid, 99.99% metals basis;Boric acid, BioXtra, >=99.5%;Tox21_111004;Tox21_202185;Tox21_301000;1332-77-0 (di-potassium salt);MFCD00075167;MFCD00151271;STL445672;Boric acid, 99.998% metals basis;AKOS015833571;Boric acid, ACS reagent, >=99.5%;DB11326;USEPA/OPP Pesticide Code: 011001;11113-50-1;Boric acid;Boracic acid;Boric acid, 99.97% trace metals basis;Boric acid, USP, 99.5-100.5%;NCGC00090745-01;NCGC00090745-03;NCGC00090745-04;NCGC00090745-05
;NCGC00254902-01;NCGC00259734-01;Boric acid, ReagentPlus(R), >=99.5%;DA-56489;SY249360
;SY319258;Boric acid, 99.999% trace metals basis;Boric acid, SAJ first grade, >=99.5%;Boric acid, for electrophoresis, >=99.5%;Boric acid, JIS special grade, >=99.5%;Boric acid, Vetec(TM) reagent grade, 98%;InChI=1/BH3O3/c2-1(3)4/h2-4H;NS00013411;Boric acid, tablet, 1 g boric acid per tablet;D01089;A800201;Q187045;Boric acid, >=99.5%, suitable for amino acid analysis;Boric acid, NIST(R) SRM(R) 951a, isotopic standard;Boric acid, NIST(R) SRM(R) 973,;Boric acid, BioUltra, for molecular biology, >=99.5% (T);Boric acid, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard;Boric acid, cell culture tested, plant cell culture tested, >=99.5%;20 g/L Boric Acid Distillation Fluid, 50 x 10 mL, smart delivery PFA Tube;Boric acid, Biotechnology Performance Certified, >=99.5% (titration), Cell Culture Tested;Boric acid, p.a., ACS reagent, reag. ISO, reag. Ph. Eur., 99.5-100.5%;233-139-2;234-343-4;Boric acid, BioReagent, for molecular biology, suitable for cell culture, suitable for plant cell culture, >=99.5%;Boric acid, puriss. p.a., ACS reagent, reag. ISO, reag. Ph. Eur., buffer substance, >=99.8%;Boric acid, puriss., meets analytical specification of Ph. Eur., BP, NF, 99.5-100.5%, powder

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used for the manufacture of textile fiberglass, household glass products and the glass used in LCD displays, to reinforce plastics in various products (boats, computer circuit boards and pipes), as a flame retardant, and as a pH buffer agent in plating.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a white, amorphous powder orcolorless, crystalline solid. 
Molecular weight=61.84;Boiling point=300℃ (decomposes: loses 1/2 its H2O);Freezing/Melting point=170.9℃ (decomposes above100℃). 
Saturated solutions: at 0℃, 2.6% acid; at 100℃,28% acid. 
Hazard Identification (based on NFPA-704 MRating System): Health 2, Flammability 0, Reactivity 1.Boric acid is soluble in water; solubility=4.7 g/100 mL at20℃.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a member of boric acids. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has a role as an astringent. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a conjugate acid of a dihydrogenborate.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a weak monobasic acid, it accepts OH- ions, hence is a Lewis acid. 
In Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), B is sp2 hybridized, forming a planar triangle structure. 
The principal oxide of boron, B2O3, is obtained as a vitreous solid by dehydration of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) at red heat.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), more specifically orthoboric acid, is a compound of boron, oxygen, and hydrogen with formula B(OH)3. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) may also be called hydrogen orthoborate, trihydroxidoboron or boracic acid.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is usually encountered as colorless crystals or a white powder, that dissolves in water, and occurs in nature as the mineral sassolite. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a weak acid that yields various borate anions and salts, and can react with alcohols to form borate esters.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is often used as an antiseptic, insecticide, flame retardant, neutron absorber, or precursor to other boron compounds.
The term "Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)" is also used generically for any oxyacid of boron, such as metaboric acid HBO2 and tetraboric acid H2B4O7.

History
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) was first prepared by Wilhelm Homberg (1652–1715) from borax, by the action of mineral acids, and was given the name sal sedativum Hombergi ("sedative salt of Homberg"). 
However Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borates have been used since the time of the ancient Greeks for cleaning, preserving food, and other activities.

Molecular and crystal structure
The three oxygen atoms form a trigonal planar geometry around the boron. 
The B-O bond length is 136 pm and the O-H is 97 pm. 
The molecular point group is C3h.

Two crystalline forms of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) are known: triclinic with space group P1, and trigonal with space group P32. 
The former is the most common; the second, which is a bit more stable thermodynamically, can be obtained with a special preparation method.

The triclinic form of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) consists of layers of B(OH)3 molecules held together by hydrogen bonds with an O...O separation of 272 pm. 
The distance between two adjacent layers is 318 pm. 
While the layers of the triclinic phase are nearly trigonal with γ = 119.76°, a = 701.87 pm, and b = 703.5 pm (compared to a = 704.53(4) pm for the trigonal form), the stacking of the layers is somewhat offset in the triclinic phase, with α = 92.49° and β = 101.46°. 
The triclinic phase has c = 634.72 pm and the trigonal one has a = 956.08(7) pm.

Preparation
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) may be prepared by reacting borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) with a mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid:

Na2B4O7·10H2O + 2 HCl → 4 B(OH)3 + 2 NaCl + 5 H2O
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also formed as a by product of hydrolysis of boron trihalides and diborane:

B2H6 + 6 H2O → 2 B(OH)3 + 6 H2
BX3 + 3 H2O → B(OH)3 + 3 HX (X = Cl, Br, I)

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) Chemical Properties
Melting point: 160 °C (dec.) (lit.)
Boiling point: 219-220 °C (9.7513 mmHg)
Density: 1.440 g/cm3
Bulk density: 400-600kg/m3
Vapor pressure: 2.6 mm Hg ( 20 °C)
Refractive index: n20/D 1.330-1.340
Dtorage temp.: Store at +5°C to +30°C.
Solubility H2O: soluble
Form: working solution
pka: 8.91±0.43(Predicted)
Specific Gravity: 1.435
Color : ≤10(APHA)
PH: 3.6-4.4 (25℃, saturated solution in H2O)
Odor: Odorless
PH Range: 3.8 - 4.8
Water Solubility: 49.5 g/L (20 ºC)
Sensitive: Hygroscopic
λmax: λ: 260 nm Amax: 0.05
λ: 280 nm Amax: 0.05
Merck: 14,1336
BRN: 1697939
Exposure limits    ACGIH: TWA 2 mg/m3; STEL 6 mg/m3
InChIKey: KGBXLFKZBHKPEV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
LogP: -1.09 at 22℃
CAS DataBase Reference: 10043-35-3(CAS DataBase Reference)
NIST Chemistry Reference: B(OH)3(10043-35-3)
EPA Substance Registry System: Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) (10043-35-3)
Absorption: ≤0.05 at 260 in H2O at 1M
≤0.05 at 280 in H2O at 1M

White powder or granules and odorless. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is incompatible with potassium, acetic anhydride, alkalis, carbonates, and hydroxides. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has uses in the production of textile fiberglass, flat panel displays, and eye drops. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is recognized for its application as a pH buffer and as a moderate antiseptic agent and emulsifier.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a white, amorphous powder or colorless, crystalline solid.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) occurs as a hygroscopic, white crystalline powder, colorless shiny plates, or white crystals.

Physical properties    
Colorless, transparent triclinic crystal or white granule or powder; density 1.435 g/cm3; melts at 171°C under normal heating; however, slow heating causes loss of water; sparingly soluble in cold water (4.7% at 20°C); pH of 0.1M solution 5.1; readily dissolves in hot water (19.1% at 80°C and 27.5% at 100°C); also soluble in lower alcohols and moderately soluble in pyridine.

Uses    
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a precursor material for other boron compounds. 
A dilute water solution of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is usually employed as a mild antiseptic and eyewash. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is too employed in leather manufacture, electroplating, and cosmetics.
For weatherproofing wood and fireproofing fabrics; as a preservative; manufacture of cements, crockery, porcelain, enamels, glass, borates, leather, carpets, hats, soaps, artificial gems; in nickeling baths; cosmetics; printing and dyeing, painting; photography; for impregnating wicks; electric condensers; hardening steel. 
Also used as insecticide for cockroaches and black carpet beetles.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used to study molecular biology, DNA and RNA purification, biological buffers and molecular biology reagents. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has been used to test the toxic effects of boron on growth and antioxidant system parameters of maize (Zea mays L.) roots. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has also been used to study the effect of time period after boric acid injection on (10)B absorption in different regions of adult male rat′s brain.

Industrial
The primary industrial use of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is in the manufacture of monofilament fiberglass usually referred to as textile fiberglass. 
Textile fiberglass is used to reinforce plastics in applications that range from boats, to industrial piping to computer circuit boards.
In the jewelry industry, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is often used in combination with denatured alcohol to reduce surface oxidation and formation of firescale on metals during annealing and soldering operations.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in the production of the glass in LCD flat panel displays.
In electroplating, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used as part of some proprietary formulas. 
One known formula uses about a 1 to 10 ratio of H3BO3 to NiSO4, a very small portion of sodium lauryl sulfate and a small portion of H2SO4.
The solution of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borax in 4:5 ratio is used as a fire retarding agent of wood by impregnation.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used in the manufacturing of ramming mass, a fine silica-containing powder used for producing induction furnace linings and ceramics.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is added to borax for use as welding flux by blacksmiths.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), in combination with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or silicone oil, is used to manufacture Silly Putty.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also present in the list of chemical additives used for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is often used in conjunction with guar gum as cross-linking and gelling agent for controlling the viscosity and the rheology of the fracking fluid injected at high pressure in the well. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is important to control the fluid viscosity for keeping in suspension on long transport distances the grains of the propping agents aimed at maintaining the cracks in the shales sufficiently open to facilitate the gas extraction after the hydraulic pressure is relieved.
The rheological properties of borate cross-linked guar gum hydrogel mainly depend on the pH value.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in some expulsion-type electrical fuses as a de-ionization/extinguishing agent.
During an electrical fault in an expulsion-type fuse, a plasma arc is generated by the disintegration and rapid spring-loaded separation of the fusible element, which is typically a specialized metal rod that passes through a compressed mass of boric acid within the fuse assembly. 
The high-temperature plasma causes the Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) to rapidly decompose into water vapor and boric anhydride, and in-turn, the vaporization products de-ionize the plasma, helping to interrupt the electrical fault.

Medical
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used as an antiseptic for minor burns or cuts and is sometimes used in salves and dressings, such as boracic lint. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is applied in a very dilute solution as an eye wash. Boric acid vaginal suppositories can be used for recurrent candidiasis due to non-albicans candida as a second line treatment when conventional treatment has failed.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is less effective than conventional treatment overall.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) largely spares lactobacilli within the vagina.
As TOL-463, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is under development as an intravaginal medication for the treatment for vulvovaginal candidiasis.

As an antibacterial compound, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also be used as an acne treatment. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used as prevention of athlete's foot, by inserting powder in the socks or stockings. 
Various preparations can be used to treat some kinds of otitis externa (ear infection) in both humans and animals.
The preservative in urine sample bottles in the UK is boric acid.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be toxic, particularly to infants, especially after repeated use; this is because of its slow elimination rate.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is one of the most commonly used substances that can counteract the harmful effects of reactive hydrofluoric acid (HF) after an accidental contact with the skin. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) works by forcing the free F− anions into the inert tetrafluoroborate anion. 
This process defeats the extreme toxicity of hydrofluoric acid, particularly its ability to sequester ionic calcium from blood serum which can lead to cardiac arrest and bone decomposition; such an event can occur from just minor skin contact with HF.

Insecticidal
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) was first registered in the US as an insecticide in 1948 for control of cockroaches, termites, fire ants, fleas, silverfish, and many other insects. 
The product is generally considered to be safe to use in household kitchens to control cockroaches and ants. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) acts as a stomach poison affecting the insects' metabolism, and the dry powder is abrasive to the insects' exoskeletons.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is in non-specific IRAC group 8D. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) also has the reputation as "the gift that keeps on killing" in that cockroaches that cross over lightly dusted areas do not die immediately, but that the effect is like shards of glass cutting them apart. 
This often allows a roach to go back to the nest where Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) soon dies. 
Cockroaches, being cannibalistic, eat others killed by contact or consumption of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), consuming the powder trapped in the dead roach and killing them, too.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has also been widely used in the treatment of wood for protection against termites. 
The full complexity of its mechanism is not fully understood, but aside from causing dose-dependent mortality, boric acid causes dysbiosis in the Eastern Subterranean termite, leading to the opportunistic rise of insect pathogens that could be contributing to mortality.
In Japan the practice of laying newspapers treated with Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borax under buildings has been effective in controlling Coptotermes formosanus and Reticulitermes speratus populations. 
Decaying wood treated with 0.25 to 0.5 percent DOT was also found to be effective for baiting Heterotermes aureus populations. 
A 1997 paper concluded: "Borate baits would undoubtably be helpful in the long-term, but do not appear sufficient as a sole method of structural protection."

Preservation
In combination with its use as an insecticide, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) also prevents and destroys existing wet and dry rot in timbers. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used in combination with an ethylene glycol carrier to treat external wood against fungal and insect attack. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is possible to buy borate-impregnated rods for insertion into wood via drill holes where dampness and moisture is known to collect and sit. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is available in a gel form and injectable paste form for treating rot affected wood without the need to replace the timber. 
Concentrates of borate-based treatments can be used to prevent slime, mycelium, and algae growth, even in marine environments.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is added to salt in the curing of cattle hides, calfskins, and sheepskins. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) helps to control bacterial development, and helps to control insects.

Pharmaceutical Applications    
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used as an antimicrobial preservative in eye drops, cosmetic products, ointments, and topical creams. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used as an antimicrobial preservative in foods.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borate have good buffering capacity and are used to control pH; they have been used for this purpose in external preparations such as eye drops.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has also been used therapeutically in the form of suppositories to treat yeast infections. 
In dilute concentrations Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used as a mild antiseptic, with weak bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties, although it has generally been superseded by more effective and less toxic disinfectants.

Preparation    
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is produced from borax, colemanite, or other inorganic borates by reaction with sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid, and cooling the solution to proper temperature:
Na2B4O7 10Η2Ο + H2SO4 → 4H3BO3 + Na2SO4 + 5H2O
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) also may be prepared by extraction of weak borax brine with a kerosene solution of an aromatic diol, such as 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol or 3-chloro- 2-hydroxy-5-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)benzyl alcohol.
The diol-borate chelate formed separates into a kerosene phase. 
Treatment with sulfuric acid yields Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) which partitions into aqueous phase and is purified by recrystallization.

Production Methods    
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) occurs naturally as the mineral sassolite. 
However, the majority of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is produced by reacting inorganic borates with sulfuric acid in an aqueous medium. 
Sodium borate and partially refined calcium borate (colemanite) are the principal raw materials. 
When Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is made from colemanite, the fineground ore is vigorously stirred with mother liquor and sulfuric acid at about 908℃. 
The by-product calcium sulfate is removed by filtration, and the Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is crystallized by cooling the filtrate.

Biochem/physiol Actions
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has antibacterial and fungicidal properties. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in the periodontal therapy as an irrigation solution as it elicits bactericidal effects in microbial biofilms in root canal. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) may favor osteoblastic activity and inhibit bone loss. 
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) inhibits Candida albicans fungal infection and has potential to treat vaginal infection.