Boracic+acid

Also called hydrogen borate or boric acid is a weak acid of boron and is often used as an antiseptic, insecticide, or natural absorber. It exists in the form of colorless crystals or in the form of white powder which can dissolve in water. Molecular Formula: H3BO3 Molar Mass: 61.83 g mol Molecular Shape: Trigonal Planar

Medical
Boric acid can be used as an [|antiseptic] for minor burns or cuts and is sometimes used in dressings or salves. Boric acid is applied in a very dilute solution as an eye wash. Dilute boric acid can be used as a vaginal douche to treat [|bacterial vaginosis] due to excessive alkalinity. As an [|anti-bacterial] compound, boric acid can also be used as an [|acne] treatment. It is also used as prevention of [|athlete's foot], by inserting powder in the socks or stockings, and in solution can be used to treat some kinds of [|otitis externa] (ear infection) in both humans and animals. The preservative in [|urine] sample bottles (red cap) in the UK is boric acid. Boric acid solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be especially toxic to infants, especially after repeated use because of its slow elimination rate.

Insecticidal
Boric acid was first registered in the United States 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. It acts as a stomach poison affecting the insects' [|metabolism], and the dry powder is [|abrasive] to the insects' [|exoskeleton].

Preservation
In combination with its use as an insecticide, boric acid also prevents and destroys existing wet and dry rot in timbers. It can be used in combination with an [|ethylene glycol] carrier to treat external wood against fungal and insect attack. It is possible to buy borate-impregnated rods for insertion into wood via drill holes where dampness and moisture is known to collect and sit. It 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 is added to salt in the curing of cattle hides, [|calfskins] and [|sheepskins]. This helps to control bacteria development and helps to control insects.

** Lubrication ** Colloidal suspensions of nanoparticles of boric acid dissolved in petroleum or vegetable oil can form a remarkable lubricant on ceramic or metal surfaces with a coefficient of sliding friction that decreases with increasing pressure to a value ranging from 0.10 to 0.02. Self-lubricating H3BO3 films result from a spontaneous chemical reaction between water molecules and B2O3 coatings in a humid environment. In bulk-scale, an inverse relationship exists between friction coefficient and Hertzian contact pressure induced by applied load. Boric acid is used to lubricate [|carrom] and [|novuss] boards, allowing for faster play.

Nuclear power
Boric acid is used in nuclear power plants as a [|neutron poison] to slow down the rate at which fission is occurring. Fission chain reactions are generally driven by the amount of neutrons present (as products from previous fissions). Natural boron is 20% boron-10 and about 80% boron-11. Boron-10 has a high cross-section for absorption of low energy (thermal) neutrons. By adding more boric acid to the reactor coolant which circulates through the reactor, the probability that a neutron can survive to cause fission is reduced. Therefore, changes in boric acid concentration effectively regulate the rate of fission taking place in the reactor. This method is only used in [|pressurized water reactors] (PWRs). Boron is also dissolved into the spent fuel pools containing used uranium rods. The concentration is high enough to keep neutron multiplication at a minimum. Boric acid was dumped over Reactor 4 of the [|Chernobyl] Nuclear Facility after its meltdown to prevent another reaction from occurring.

Industrial
The primary industrial use of 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. [|[19]] In the jewelry industry, boric acid is often used in combination with [|denatured alcohol] to reduce surface [|oxidation] and firescale from forming on metals during [|annealing] and [|soldering] operations. Boric acid is used in the production of the glass in [|LCD] [|flat panel displays]. In electroplating, boric acid is used as part of some proprietary formulas. One such known formula calls for about a 1 to 10 ratio of H3BO3 to [|NiSO4], a very small portion of [|sodium lauryl sulfate] and a small portion of [|H2SO4]. Boric acid, mixed with borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) at the weight ratio of 4:5, is highly soluble in water, though they are not so soluble separately.The solution is used for fire retarding agent of wood by impregnation. It is also used in the manufacturing of ramming mass, a fine [|silica] -containing powder used for producing [|induction furnace] linings and [|ceramics]. Boric acid is one of the most commonly used substances that can neutralize active [|hydrofluoric acid] (HF). It works by forcing the free F- anions into complex salts. 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 (amongst other things); such an event can occur from just minor skin contact with HF. Boric acid is added to [|borax] for use as welding [|flux] by blacksmiths and farriers. Boric acid, in combination with [|silicone oil], is used to manufacture [|Silly Putty]. Boric acid, in combination with eighty other chemicals, is used in [|Marcellus Shale] drilling.

Pyrotechnics
It is used in [|pyrotechnics] to prevent the [|amide] -forming reaction between [|aluminium] and [|nitrates]. A small amount of boric acid is added to the composition to neutralize alkaline amides that can react with the aluminium. Boric acid can be used as a colorant to make fire green. For example, when dissolved in [|methanol] it is popularly used by [|fire jugglers] and fire spinners to create a deep green flame.