2. History
• Boron came from the Arabic language. It
comes from the word borax.
• Discovered in: France
• Discovered By: Sir Humphry Davy, L.J
Thermard, and J.L Gay Lussac.

4. Availability
• Boron exists in polymorphs
• Found as borates in minerals such as boron
silicate, kernite, and colemanite.
• You must mine these minerals in order to obtain
boron.
• Turkey, Russia and the US are the largest
producers of boron minerals.
• Cost
– Crystalline boron - $5/g.
– Amorphous boron - $2/g.

5. Major Compounds
• Borax - (Na2B4O7.10H2O) is used in making fiberglass, as a
cleansing fluid, a water softener, insecticide, herbicide
and disinfectant.
• Boron Nitride- harder then a diamond, used in high temp
equipment.
• Boron oxide (B2O3) used for glassmaking and ceramics.
• Boron carbide (B4C) is used in tank armor and bullet
proof vests.

6. Uses
• Pyrotechnics: Gives flares the green color.
• Igniter in rockets.
• In Boric Acid – Antiseptic
• In Borax
• Cleaning flux in welding
• Water softener in washing powders
• Boron compounds are used in the manufacturing of glasses.

7. Things to Know
• Poor electrical conductor at room
temperature but good at high temperatures
• Semi metallic or Metalloid
• Un-reactive
• .

8. Resources
• "Boron." Periodic Table of Elements and Chemistry.
Web. 12 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.chemicool.com/elements/boron.html>.
• "Boron | Uses." WebElements Periodic Table of the
Elements. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.webelements.com/boron/uses.html>.
• "Boron." Encyclopedia of Earth. Web. 10 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.eoearth.org/article/Boron>.
• "Boron Properties." Rare-Earth Magnets. Web. 17 Nov.
2011.
<http://www.rareearth.org/boron_properties.htm>.