Uses. Boric acid is used as a fireproofing agent for wood, as a preservative, and as an antiseptic.
It is used in the manufacture of glass, pottery, enamels, glazes, cosmetics, cements, porcelain, leather, carpets, hats, soaps, artificial gems, and in tanning, printing, dyeing, painting, and photography.
| BH3O3 | |
| Molar mass | 61.83 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | White crystalline solid |
| Density | 1.435 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 170.9 °C (339.6 °F; 444.0 K) |
| Boiling point | 300 °C (572 °F; 573 K) |
| 2.52 g/100 mL (0 °C) 4.72 g/100 mL (20 °C) 5.7 g/100 mL (25 °C) 19.10 g/100 mL (80 °C) 27.53 g/100 mL (100 °C) |
|
| Solubility in other solvents | Soluble in lower alcohols moderately soluble in pyridine very slightly soluble in acetone |
| log P | -0.29[1] |
| Acidity (pKa) | 9.24, 12.4, 13.3 |
| Conjugate base | Borate |
| -34.1·10−6 cm3/mol | |
| Structure | |
|---|---|
| Trigonal planar | |
| Zero | |
