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Sodium tetraborate; borax is a salt (ionic compound) normally encountered as a hydrated borate of sodium, with the chemical formula Na2H20B4O17.
Sodium tetraborate; borax mineral is a crystalline borate mineral that occurs in only a few places worldwide in quantities that enable it to be mined economically.
Sodium tetraborate; borax can be dehydrated by heating into other forms with less water of hydration.
CAS Number: 1303-96-4
Molecular Formula: B4H20Na2O17
Molecular Weight: 381.37
EINECS nUMBER: 603-411-9
Synonyms: BORAX, 1303-96-4, sodium borate decahydrate, sodium tetraborate decahydrate, disodium tetraborate decahydrate, sodium biborate decahydrate, sodium pyroborate decahydrate, boric acid disodium salt decahydrate, boron sodium oxide decahydrate, Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O, borax decahydrate, sodium borate decahydrate (Na2B4O7·10H2O), borax granular, 20 Mule Team Borax, borax powder, borax crystals, E285, INS 285, INS-285, UNII-91MBZ8H3QO, 91MBZ8H3QO, DTXSID2034384, CHEBI:131366, CHEBI:86222, EINECS 215-540-4 (var. listings), HSDB 328, CCRIS 4946, RefChem:917461, SWABS 10ML PEPTON FYSIOLOG. SALINE SOL.;SODIUM TETRABORATE DECAHYDRATE BIOXT;Borax,Sodium tetraborate,decahydrate,sodium borate, decahydrate,antipyonin,borascu;Boric acid sodium decahydrate;Sodium tetraborate decahydrateACS reagent, 99.5-105.0% (Titration);antipyonin[qr];borascu;borates,tetra,sodiumsalt,decahydrate
Sodium tetraborate; borax is a white crystalline solid that dissolves in water to make a basic solution due to the tetraborate anion.
Sodium tetraborate; borax, commonly known as borax, is an inorganic boron compound with the chemical formula Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O (decahydrate form most common).
The anhydrous form of borax can also be obtained from the decahydrate or other hydrates by heating and then grinding the resulting glasslike solid into a powder.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is a naturally occurring mineral found in evaporite deposits and is widely used in industry, laboratories, and household products.
It is also known as sodium borate or tincal in mineral form.
Sodium tetraborate; borax consists of sodium ions (Na⁺) and tetraborate anions (B₄O₇²⁻) combined with water of crystallization.
Sodium tetraborate; borax behaves as a weak alkaline salt in aqueous solutions.
This gives it buffering and cleaning properties.
Physically, Sodium tetraborate; borax appears as a white crystalline powder or colorless crystals.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is soluble in water and forms a mildly alkaline solution.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is odorless.
Sodium tetraborate; borax provides buffering properties, helping to stabilize pH in solutions.
It resists changes in acidity or alkalinity.
This improves chemical stability in formulations.
Sodium tetraborate; borax acts as a mild antiseptic and antimicrobial agent in some applications.
It inhibits the growth of certain microorganisms.
Sodium tetraborate; borax supports preservation effects.
Sodium tetraborate; borax has detergent and cleaning properties, helping remove grease and stains.
It enhances the performance of soaps and cleaning agents.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves cleaning efficiency.
Sodium tetraborate; borax forms complexes with metal ions, which allows it to soften water.
This improves the effectiveness of detergents.
Sodium tetraborate; borax enhances washing performance.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in glass and ceramics production, where it lowers melting temperature and improves thermal stability.
It acts as a fluxing agent.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is best described as a naturally occurring boron compound used as a buffer, cleaning agent, flux, and industrial chemical with mild alkaline and antimicrobial properties.
Sodium tetraborate; borax also has water-softening properties, because it binds calcium and magnesium ions in hard water.
This improves detergent efficiency in washing processes.
Sodium tetraborate; borax enhances cleaning performance.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in laundry and household cleaning products, where it helps boost stain removal and deodorizing effects.
It supports surfactant activity in soaps and powders.
This improves overall cleaning power.
In paper manufacturing, borax can be used to improve pulp processing and surface finishing.
Sodium tetraborate; borax helps control pH and improves fiber treatment.
This enhances paper quality.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is applied in adhesives and glues, where it can help modify viscosity and improve bonding properties.
It contributes to polymer network formation in some systems.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves adhesive performance.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in textile processing, where it assists in dye fixation and fabric treatment.
It helps stabilize dye baths and improve color uniformity.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves textile quality.
In laboratory chemistry, borax is used as a standard reference material for buffer preparation.
Sodium tetraborate; borax provides stable and reproducible alkaline conditions.
Sodium tetraborate; borax supports analytical accuracy.
Sodium tetraborate; borax can also be used in fire retardant formulations, where boron compounds help reduce flammability of materials.
It promotes the formation of protective glassy layers under heat.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves fire resistance.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is found in ceramic fiber and insulation materials, where it enhances thermal stability.
Melting point: 75 °C
Boiling point: 320°C
Density: 1.73 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)
bulk density: 750kg/m3
vapor pressure: 0.213 hPa (20 °C)
storage temp.: 2-8°C
solubility: H2O: 0.1 M at 20 °C, clear, colorless
form: Powder/Solid
Specific Gravity: 1.73
color: White, gray, bluish or greenish white
PH: 9.21(1 mM solution);9.17(10 mM solution);9.05(100 mM solution)
Odor: Odorless
PH Range: 9.2
Flame Color: Orange
Water Solubility: 60 g/L (20 ºC)
λmax: λ: 260 nm Amax: 0.012; λ: 280 nm Amax: 0.010
Merck: 14,8590
Exposure limits: ACGIH: TWA 2 mg/m3; STEL 6 mg/m3; NIOSH: TWA 5 mg/m3
Cosmetics Ingredients Functions: BUFFERING
InChI: 1S/B4O7.2Na.10H2O/c5-1-7-3-9-2(6)10-4(8-1)11-3;;;;;;;;;;;;/h;;;101H2/q-2;2+1;;;;;;;;;;
InChIKey: CDMADVZSLOHIFP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES: O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.[Na+].[Na+].[O-]B1Ob2ob([O-])ob(O1)o2
Sodium tetraborate; borax also shows strong buffering capacity in alkaline systems, helping maintain a stable pH during chemical reactions.
This is especially useful in industrial and laboratory formulations.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves process control.
Sodium tetraborate; borax can act as a cross-linking agent for polysaccharides, such as starch or guar gum, forming gel-like structures.
This property is used in slime and polymer chemistry demonstrations.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves material structure.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is widely used in glass and fiberglass production, where it helps improve thermal resistance and durability.
Sodium tetraborate; borax reduces melting temperature of silica-based materials.
This improves manufacturing efficiency.
In ceramics and enamels, borax improves glaze formation and surface smoothness.
Sodium tetraborate; borax helps create a uniform, glossy finish.
Sodium tetraborate; borax enhances product quality.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in metallurgy, where it serves as a flux to remove metal oxides during soldering and welding.
It helps clean and protect metal surfaces during processing.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves metal joining quality.
It can be found in pest control formulations, where it acts as a slow-acting agent against certain insects like ants and cockroaches.
Sodium tetraborate; borax disrupts their digestive system and exoskeleton processes.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves pest management.
In cosmetics and personal care products, borax has been used historically as an emulsifier and pH adjuster.
However, its use is now more restricted in modern formulations.
Sodium tetraborate; borax reflects updated safety standards.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in laboratory applications, including buffer solutions and chemical synthesis.
It provides stable reaction conditions in controlled experiments.
This supports research accuracy.
Sodium tetraborate; borax also plays a role in nuclear and radiation applications, as boron compounds can absorb neutrons.
This property is used in shielding materials.
This improves safety in specialized environments.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is a versatile inorganic compound used for buffering, cleaning, fluxing, cross-linking, and industrial processing applications across chemistry, materials science, and manufacturing systems.
In educational science experiments, borax is commonly used to demonstrate crystallization and polymer formation (e.g., slime).
Sodium tetraborate; borax shows how cross-linking reactions occur in polymers.
This supports learning in chemistry.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is a multifunctional inorganic compound used in cleaning, buffering, glass/ceramics, metallurgy, textiles, adhesives, and chemical applications due to its pH control, ion-binding, and material-modifying properties.
Uses:
Sodium tetraborate; borax is widely used in household cleaning products.
It helps remove dirt, grease, and stains and boosts detergent performance.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves overall cleaning efficiency.
In laundry detergents, it acts as a water softener and cleaning booster.
Sodium tetraborate; borax reduces hardness of water by binding calcium and magnesium ions.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves washing effectiveness.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in glass and fiberglass manufacturing, where it lowers melting temperature and improves durability.
It helps form strong, heat-resistant glass materials.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves production efficiency.
In ceramics and enamel production, borax is used as a flux.
Sodium tetraborate; borax helps create smooth, glossy surfaces and improves glaze quality.
Sodium tetraborate; borax enhances final product appearance.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is applied in metalworking and soldering, where it acts as a flux to clean metal surfaces.
It prevents oxidation during welding and joining.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves bonding quality.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in adhesives and glues, where it modifies viscosity and helps form gel-like structures.
It improves binding strength in some polymer systems.
Sodium tetraborate; borax enhances adhesive performance.
In textile industry, it is used to assist dyeing and fabric finishing processes.
Sodium tetraborate; borax helps stabilize dyes and improve color uniformity.
This improves fabric quality.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in paper production, where it helps control pH and improve fiber processing.
It enhances paper texture and strength.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves manufacturing quality.
Sodium tetraborate; borax pest control products, it is used as a slow-acting insect control agent.
It disrupts digestive systems of insects like ants and cockroaches.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves pest management.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is also used in laboratory chemistry, where it serves as a buffer solution component and reagent.
It provides stable alkaline conditions for experiments.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used across cleaning, glass, ceramics, metallurgy, textiles, adhesives, agriculture, and laboratory applications due to its properties as a buffer, flux, cleaning agent, and chemical modifier.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is also used in water treatment systems, where it helps control pH and improve chemical balance.
It supports the stability of industrial water processes.
This improves system efficiency.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is applied in cooling systems and antifreeze formulations, where it helps inhibit corrosion of metal parts.
It protects pipes and machinery from degradation.
This improves equipment lifespan.
In nuclear and radiation shielding applications, boron compounds (including borax derivatives) help absorb neutrons.
This is used in specialized reactor and safety materials.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves radiation protection.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in fire retardant materials, where it helps reduce flammability of textiles, wood, and insulation.
It promotes the formation of a protective glass-like layer under heat.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves fire safety.
In wood preservation treatments, borax helps protect wood from fungal growth and insect damage.
Sodium tetraborate; borax extends the durability of treated wood.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves material lifespan.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in oil drilling and mining operations, where it can act as a pH buffer and stabilizing agent in drilling fluids.
It helps maintain fluid performance under harsh conditions.
Sodium tetraborate; borax improves operational control.
In photography and printing processes (historical and niche uses), borax was used in developing solutions.
Sodium tetraborate; borax helped control alkalinity during chemical reactions.
This improved image processing stability.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is used in ceramic fiber and high-temperature insulation materials, where it improves heat resistance.
It helps materials withstand extreme thermal conditions.
This improves industrial performance.
In educational and demonstration chemistry, borax is widely used to show crystal growth and polymer cross-linking reactions (such as slime formation).
Sodium tetraborate; borax helps visualize chemical bonding and structure formation.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is a multifunctional industrial and chemical material used in cleaning, glass, metallurgy, water treatment, fire retardancy, materials science, and laboratory applications due to its buffering, fluxing, and ion-binding properties.
Safety Profile:
Sodium tetraborate; borax is generally considered a low-to-moderate hazard industrial chemical, but its safety depends strongly on dose, exposure route, and duration.
Sodium tetraborate; borax is not acutely poisonous at low levels, but it is regulated in food and consumer use in many regions.
This reflects precaution due to reproductive toxicity concerns.
The most important hazard is reproductive toxicity.
High or prolonged exposure to borates has shown effects on fertility and fetal development in animal studies.
This is the main reason for strict exposure limits in workplaces and restrictions in consumer products.
Sodium tetraborate; borax can cause eye irritation, especially as a powder or concentrated solution.
Symptoms may include redness, tearing, and discomfort.
This is a common short-term effect.
Skin contact may cause mild irritation or dryness, particularly with repeated exposure.
Sensitive individuals may experience dermatitis.
Inhalation of dust may lead to respiratory irritation, including coughing or throat discomfort.
