Chemistry Formulas

Borax Formula

Borax may be a compound and Sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate are other names of it. It’s a crucial boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It’s a soft, colourless compound of Boron and dissolvable in water. Moreover, the essential use of it is in laundry and other cleaning products. During this article, we’ll discuss the concept of the borax formula, its preparation, and solved examples.

Borax Formula

Sodium tetraborate decahydrate is the IUPAC name of borax. It’s a component of the many detergents, cosmetics. The utilization of it includes buffers solutions in biochemistry. Within the manufacture of fibreglass, it’s used as a flux in metallurgy, neutron-capture shields for radioactive sources. Texturing agent in cooking, as a cross-linking agent in slime, is another use of it.

  • Molecular Formula – H20B4Na2O17
  • Simplified chemical formula – Naâ‚‚[Bâ‚„Oâ‚…(OH)â‚„]·8Hâ‚‚O

 

Borax Formula

The term borax is usually used for several closely related minerals or chemical compounds. It differs in their crystal water content. Different borax found is anhydrous sodium tetraborate(Na2B4O7), sodium tetraborate pentahydrate (Na2B4O7·5H2O). Equivalently the octahydrate, (Na2B4O5(OH)4·8H2O) is that the same.

We also find it in deposits due to the evaporation of seasonal lakes. Present borax is purified by recrystallization. We can synthesise borax from boron compounds.

Reaction

From the chemical perspective, the borax contains the [B4O5(OH)4]2− ion. Conversion of borax to boric acid and other borates can occur easily. This process was first used by Wilhelm Homberg. Borax reacts with an acid to supply boric acid. Its reaction with acid to make boric acid is:

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

Preparation of Borax

The use of tincal is often useful within the preparation of borax. Tincal or suhaga are present in borax. Tincal is boiled with water and it filters and removes impurities of sand, clay. The concentration of filtrate occurs until crystallization begins then the cooling procedure starts. The concentration of filtrate occurs when crystals of the borax filter.

From colemanite (Ca2B6O11):

Ca2B6O11 + 2Na2CO3 → Heat→ Na2B4O7 + 2NaBO2 + 2CaCO3↓

4NaBO2 + CO2 → Na2B4O7 + Na2CO3

We then treat the borax and sodium metaborate of the remaining solution with CO2 to convert sodium metaborate to borax. The solution is then concentrated and cooled to crystallize borax.

From boric acid: It is ready from boric acid by boiling with sodium carbonate. On cooling the solution, borax separates out.

4H3BO3 + Na2CO3 →Na2B4O7 + 6H2O +CO2 ↑

Solved Examples for Borax Formula

Q1] Write the reactions of the solution of borax because of hydrolysis.

Solution – The reactions are as follows,

Na2B4O7 + 2H2O -→ 2NaOH + H2B4O7

H2B4O7 + 5H2O → 4H3BO3

Q2] Write the reaction on adding the calculated quantity of Conc.sulphuric acid to a hot concentrated solution of borax, for the formation of boric acid.

Solution – The two reactions are,

Na2B4O7 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2B4O7

H2B4O7 + 5H2O → 4H3BO3

Q 3] Tell what is going to happen when on heating borax with ethyl alcohol and concentrated vitriol and write a reaction.

Solution – When it is heated with ethyl alcohol and vitriol, it produces vapors of trimethyl borate. When ignited these vapors burn with green edged flame, the subsequent reaction occurs;

Na2B4O7 + H2SO4 + 5H2O → Na2SO4 + 4H3BO3

H3BO3 + 3C2H5OH → B(OC2H5)3 + 3H2O

Share with friends

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in?
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
Get ready for all-new Live Classes!
Now learn Live with India's best teachers. Join courses with the best schedule and enjoy fun and interactive classes.
tutor
tutor
Ashhar Firdausi
IIT Roorkee
Biology
tutor
tutor
Dr. Nazma Shaik
VTU
Chemistry
tutor
tutor
Gaurav Tiwari
APJAKTU
Physics
Get Started

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Watch lectures, practise questions and take tests on the go.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

No thanks.