Borax

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Information
Na2B4O7 • 10H2O Sodium tetraborate decahydrate Molar Mass- 381.4 g



Melting Point- 743° C

Boiling Point- 1575°C

Density- 1.73 g/cm^3

**History** Borax was originally used by Europeans. It was a cleaning tool for metallic pieces. It is also documented that Borax also was discovered in Tibet in 1776. Then in 1820, Italy became the number one user of Borax. It was extremely popular across Europe. It was discovered by a man named John A. Veatch. He discovered Borax in California in 1856. It was found specifically in Sacramento Valley and in Clear Lake According to Veatch, he discovered the borax by mere accident. He had heard about the famous London Borax Company. Continuing his research, John Veatch discovered more of the unknown borax in volcanoes in Colorado. This was in 1857. More specifically, it was found in the mud and water near the volcanoes. Then, Francis Marrion or a.k.a. Francis "Borax" Marrion joined the hunt. In the 1860's, Francis had been working at ore mills in Nevada. This is where he then a large quantity of what is known as borax. He soon tested it and found that ore is much higher. The event inspired Francis Marrion to become a borax miner. With the help of his brothers, Francis had the borax cleansed and ready for mass production. Also, he had hired Stephen Mather to get the word out about the high valued borax.



Where is it found? How is it obtained?
It is usually found near volcanoes, muddy areas, salty lakes, evaporate deposits, playas, etc. . Despite being discovered in California, it is commonly found everywhere near mud. It can be obtained at any local store. For example, it is at Walmart, Target, etc. It is easily accessible. Also, it can be found in India. This is said to have been where borax was formed.

Percent Composition
by Number -Na- 5% B- 10% O-41% H-24%

by Mass- Na=12.1 % B= 11.3% O= 71.3% H= 5.3%

Type of Bonding
Sodium tetraborate decahydrate uses ionic bonding.



Structure Information

 * Pale Yellow, light greenish, colorless in transmitted light
 * Solid
 * Faint-like odor
 * Hardness - 2 to 2.5
 * Streak - white

Chemical Properties/ Reactions Tendencies
One common tendency is that it detonates on light friction. Borax is usually stable under mild grinding. It is very rarely soluble in water while being readily soluble in boiling water. Also, it is insoluble in ethanol.

Common Uses
Borax is an easily accessible product. It is used in many various ways. Some of the very common uses of Borax include the making of glassware, used as a cleaning product, insect protect-ant, texturing food, enamel glazing, fungicide, herbicide, etc.

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Work Cited
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