Boron Powder is a non-metallic element which occurs in several allotropes. It is rarely found in nature, normally occurring as borates or orthoboric acid (the abundance of boron in the earth’s crust is 10 ppm, the principal ore being borax, Na2B4O7.xH2O). Amorphous boron is the more common allotrope and exists as a dark powder which is unreactive towards water, oxygen, acids and alkalis. Boron finds importance within nuclear reactors due to its neutron absorbing capabilities, boron steel being used as control rod material. Boron compounds are used for a number of applications including the manufacture of certain grades of glass and detergents.

Boron Powder will react directly with most metals to produce metal borides which are hard, inert binary compounds of various formulae and arrangements of the boron atoms. For example, as single atoms (M2B), pairs (M3B2), single and double chains (MB, M3B4), sheets (MB2), B6 octahedra (MB6) and B12 clusters (MB12). Boron also forms the binary compound, boron nitride, which is of interest as it is isoelectronic with carbon and occurs in two structural modifications; one is a layer structure similar to graphite which is soft and lubricating, whilst the other (formed under high pressure) has a very hard, stable, tetrahedral structure as found in diamond.

Boron Powder, Boron Carbide and metal borides, because of their extreme hardness and abrasiveness, are used in the manufacture of specialty saw blades and abrasive wheels. Both have very high melting points: 3350°C and 3000°C, respectively. Due to its high hardness, boron carbide powder is used as an abrasive in polishing and lapping applications, and also as a loose abrasive in cutting applications such as water jet cutting. It can also be used for dressing diamond tools.

Boron Powder Corrosion Inhibitors – The alkalinity and strong buffering action of boron compounds makes it useful as part of solutions for preventing corrosion of ferrous metals. The principal use of borates in this field is probably in anti-freeze formulations. The value of borax in this application is enhanced by its high solubility in ethylene glycol, the major constituent for commercial antifreeze. Brake fluids and hydraulic systems in the motor industry also used boron compounds as a corrosion inhibitor, and it is also used as a corrosion inhibitor and a lubricant carrier in wire drawing.

Boron Powder (hBN) is also known as ‘White Graphite’, has similar (hexagonal) crystal structure as of Graphite. (h-BN) is a wide band-gap material with outstanding mechanical, electrical and optical properties. It consists of a layered structure that is very similar to graphite.