[Chemical Knowledge]：The nature of boric acid, use, upstream and downstream raw materials, storage methods, the nature of boric acid, use, upstream and downstream raw materials, storage methods

Properties of boric acid

Boric Acid (Boric Acid), the chemical formula HYBOYI, is a weak acid, usually in the form of colorless crystals or white powder. Its molecular structure consists of a boron atom and three hydroxyl (OH) groups, which give boric acid some unique properties. Boric acid is weakly acidic when dissolved in water, and its solubility increases with increasing temperature. The solubility of boric acid is 4.7g/100mL at room temperature. It has anti-corrosion, anti-bacterial and fire-resistant properties, so it is widely used in a variety of industrial and daily applications. Boric acid also has good lubricity and high thermal stability, and can maintain a stable state at high temperatures.

Use of boric acid

boric acid is widely used in industry and daily life. Its main uses include:

1. glass and ceramic industry: Boric acid is an important raw material for the manufacture of heat-resistant glass (such as borosilicate glass) and ceramics. This kind of glass has high heat resistance and mechanical strength, and is widely used in the fields of laboratory equipment, light bulbs and display screens.

2. Insecticides and preservatives: Because of its bacteriostatic and antiseptic properties, boric acid is widely used in insecticides and wood preservatives. It is toxic to some insects, but relatively safe for humans and pets.

3. Medicine and Cosmetics: Boric acid is used in medicine as an antibacterial and disinfectant, and is often used in eye drops and skin care products. Boric acid is also added to some cosmetics to act as a preservative and stabilizer.

4. Lubricant: Due to the lubricity of boric acid, it is used as an additive for some lubricating oils and cutting fluids, especially in the metal processing industry.

5. nuclear industry: Boric acid is used as a neutron absorber in nuclear power plants to help control the neutron flux of nuclear reactors and ensure the safe operation of reactors.

Upstream and downstream raw materials of boric acid

upstream raw materials

the production of boric acid mainly depends on boron-containing minerals, such as borax (na₂ bA2O · 10H · O), boromagnesite (Mg₂ BO · 15H O) and boronite (Ca₂ BO · 5H O). These minerals are chemically treated and purified to give boric acid. The main production steps include:

1. mineral mining: Boron-bearing ores were first mined from mines.
2. Mineral crushing and crushing: Crushes the ore into smaller particles for subsequent processing.
3. Dissolution and extraction: Dissolve the crushed ore in an acid or alkali solution to extract the borate.
4. Filtration and crystallization: Remove impurities by filtration, and then obtain pure boric acid crystals by crystallization method.

Downstream Products

boric acid is the basic raw material for many chemicals and materials, and can be further processed to obtain a variety of downstream products. For example:

1. borate these include borax (sodium tetraborate) and sodium metaborate, which are widely used in glass, ceramics and detergents.
2. boron compound such as borate esters and borohydride compounds, these compounds play an important role in organic synthesis and fuel additives.
3. boron fiber: Boron fiber prepared by boric acid has high strength and high modulus, and is widely used in aerospace and high-performance composite materials.

Storage method of boric acid

boric acid needs to pay attention to the following points during storage to ensure its quality and safety:

1. environmental requirements: Boric acid should be stored in a dry and well-ventilated place to avoid humid and high temperature environment, because humidity and high temperature will cause boric acid to agglomerate and decompose.
2. Container Selection: Boric acid should be stored in a closed moisture-proof container, such as a plastic drum or galvanized iron drum, to prevent moisture absorption and pollution.
3. Keep away from chemicals.: Avoid mixing with chemicals such as strong acids, strong alkalis and reducing agents to prevent chemical reactions.
4. Fire Prevention Measures: Although boric acid itself is not flammable, its storage area should be equipped with appropriate fire-fighting equipment just in case.

Market Analysis and Development Prospects

the boric acid market is affected by a variety of factors, including raw material supply, downstream demand and international trade situation. At present, the global production of boric acid is mainly concentrated in the United States, Turkey and Chile, which are rich in boron resources. With the increasing demand for high-performance materials and electronic products in emerging market countries, the market demand for boric acid is on the rise.

In the future, with the promotion of environmental protection and sustainable development, the application prospect of boric acid in the field of green chemistry and new energy is broad. For example, borate batteries and boric acid-based materials have great potential in energy storage and environmental protection. Technological innovation and production process improvement will further reduce production costs, improve product quality, and promote the sustainable development of the boric acid industry.

Conclusion

as an important chemical raw material, boric acid has been widely used in many industries because of its unique properties. Through scientific and reasonable storage and management, the quality and safety of boric acid can be guaranteed. In the future, with technological progress and changes in market demand, boric acid will play an important role in more emerging fields, providing more convenience and solutions for industry and daily life.