[Chemistry Class Notes] on Borax Pdf for Exam

We have been using borax for cleaning purposes for ages. It was 1st traced in dry lake beds in Tibet and remained the only source of it till 1776 then Italy became the principal source of it until the 1860s. The famous 20-mule team borax company started in Death Valley, California, the US in 1889. It ruled the borax market for a long time. 

What is Borax?

Borax is a natural mineral and a salt of boric acid. It is also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate. It is an important boron compound. Several closely related minerals that differ in their crystal water content such as decahydrate, pentahydrate, and octahydrate salts are also referred to as borax. Even its anhydrous form is also referred to as borax. 

The formula of Borax – As we know the term borax is used for many closely related crystals. So, it has various formulas depending upon its water of crystallization.

Structure of Borax 

Properties of Borax

Physical Properties of Borax –

• Its Molar Mass is 202.22 (anhydrous) and 381.38 (decahydrate).

• It is a white-colored solid substance.

• Its density is 2.4g/cm3 (anhydrous) and 1.73 g/cm3 (decahydrate).

• Its melting point is 743 ℃ (anhydrous) and 75 ℃ (decahydrate).

• It is soluble in water.

• Its boiling point is 1,575℃ (anhydrous).

Chemical properties of Borax –

Na2B4O7·10H2O + 2HCl → 4B(OH)3 + 2NaCl + 5H2O

• It is flammable and produces yellow-green flame. 

• It is very soluble in ethylene glycol and slightly soluble in acetone.

• Reaction with sodium hydroxide –

Na2B4O7 + 7H2O + 2NaOH 🡪 4Na[B(OH)4]

Occurrence of Borax

Borax occurs naturally as deposits in seasonal lakes by their repeated evaporation. It is most commonly found in Turkey, Boron (California), Searles Lake, southwestern United States, the Atacama Desert in Chile, Bolivia, Tibet, and Romania, etc. 

Uses of Borax

Few of the Uses of Borax are Listed Below –

• As Cleaning Agent – Various properties of borax help to increase its cleaning power. It converts water into hydrogen peroxide during cleaning. It is highly basic so it makes the hot water basic which enhances the effectiveness of bleach or other cleaners. 

• As an Insect Killer – Borax stops the metabolic process of many organisms. This property of borax makes it a better disinfectant.

• It is used in the test of diabetes mellitus.

• It is used as a water softening agent. 

• For welding of iron and steel mixture of borax and ammonium chloride is used as a flux.

Boric Acid vs. Borax

Borax and Boric Acid are two boron chemicals that are related. Borax is a natural mineral that can be mined from the ground or collected from evaporating deposits. The refined chemical that arises from the processing of borax is boric acid (H3BO3). Borax is a boric acid salt. While the chemicals differ in several ways, both forms of the chemical will function for insect control and slime.

Where can I get Borax?

Borax can be found in laundry detergents, hand soaps, and some toothpaste. It is also in one of the following items:

Some more uses of Borax

Borax has a lot of uses on its own, and it is included in a lot of other items. Here are a few examples of how borax powder and pure borax can be used in water:

• Insecticide, used in roach-killing treatments and as a moth repellent (ten percent solution on wool)

• Fungicide

• Herbicide

• Desiccant

• Booster for laundry

• Cleaner for the house

• Agent for water softening

• As a preservative, it is a food additive (banned in some countries)

Borax is used in a variety of other items, including:

• Buffering solutions

• Anti-flame agents

• Bleaching toothpaste

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Glass, ceramics, and pottery 

• Glazes made of enamel

• This is a precursor to boric acid.

• Green-colored flames, slime, and borax crystals are illustrations of science projects.

• Chemistry of analysis bead test with borax

• Welding flux for iron and steel