After A comes B.
“Hi Celina, our company is looking for a versatile chemical that can be used for plant protection, but also for other horticultural applications.“ “Is there a suitable chemical for our future products?” One customer asked.
Not everyone is immediately aware of the multi-talent that comes into question. But boric acid is the ideal raw material for these applications and many more. This is because boric acid (H₃BO₃) is a weak inorganic acid with a wide range of applications. Boric acid is obtained from natural boron minerals such as ulexite and colemanite, typically by dissolving them in sulphuric acid. The resulting crystalline powder has disinfectant, flame-retardant properties and is also an important boron carrier for glass and ceramics. Boric acid is heat-stable at very high temperatures; it only loses water at temperatures of more than 150 °C, which benefits it as a glass flux, for example.
A classic area of application for boric acid is as a flame retardant. Wood, paper or textiles can be impregnated with boric acid-containing salts to make them flame-retardant. Boric acid has a double effect in wood preservatives. Firstly, the material has fungicidal/insecticidal properties and secondly, it increases fire resistance.
This environmentally friendly fire protection is used in insulating materials (wood fiber, cellulose flakes), for example. Boric acid is also used in plastic and foam production to improve fire protection properties.
As already mentioned, boric acid is also used in glass production to make glasses and special glasses more heat-resistant. Everyone is also familiar with ceramic and glass casserole dishes or cups, which do not shatter when exposed to heat. They are widely used in everyday life and only become fireproof when boric acid or borax is added.
As mentioned above, boric acid is a multi-talent, which is why it is also used in high-tech applications such as LCD screens or as an insecticide against various creepy-crawlies.
Boric acid has a wide range of applications.
For these reasons, COFERMIN Chemicals supplies boric acid in technical and high-purity quality, precisely adapted to the respective industry. It does not matter whether you need the product in powder or granulate form. Thanks to an exclusive cooperation with the Chilean producer Quiborax S.A. in Chile, Cofermin ensures the security of supply of this raw material for its global customers.
- Economy: Inexpensive raw material with wide industrial use, especially in glass and ceramics.
- Refractoriness:
★★★☆☆ – usable as an additive, but not itself stable at high temperatures. - Country of origin: Turkey, Chile and parts of Russia
- Sustainability: Recyclable, but not renewable.
- Reach obligation: YES
With our purity promise of ≥99.9% and our detailed advice on the use and handling of the raw material, you receive the full service from us. For example, we support glass manufacturers with the optimum dosage for boron incorporation or wood industry customers with questions about boron leaching stability in impregnations.
With COFERMIN as your partner, you no longer need to worry about supply bottlenecks or low-quality raw materials. Because we take raw material supply personally.
Celina Krienke
Sales & Marketing Manager
Since 2019, I have been working as a Product Manager at COFERMIN Chemicals in Essen, where I was given the opportunity to pursue my passion for the chemical industry. During challenging times, I had the privilege of developing an entirely new product portfolio for the food and feed industry together with my colleagues, and I am excited to continue expanding it. In my current position, I appreciate the dynamic challenges and the ability to independently develop market strategies. My workday is characterized by tailored customer solutions and a constantly evolving market.