Boric acid

Boric acid, H₃BO₃, is a weak Lewis acid that accepts hydroxide ions from water. It occurs naturally in minerals and is used in glassmaking, insecticides, and other products.

Lewis acid: A chemical species that accepts an electron pair to form a bond. Boric acid accepts a hydroxide ion’s electron pair rather than donating a proton directly.
Borosilicate glass: A glass containing substantial silica and boron oxide, valued for thermal and chemical resistance. Boric acid can supply boron oxide used to make this heat-resistant glass.
Boron: A chemical element with atomic number 5, found in borates and used in many materials. Boric acid is one of the simplest common oxygen-containing compounds of boron.
Hydrochloric acid: A strong acid that dissociates nearly completely in water to produce hydrogen and chloride ions. Unlike hydrochloric acid, boric acid is weak and acts through hydroxide acceptance.
Boric acid–borate equilibrium: The reversible reaction between boric acid and borate ions in water. This equilibrium determines which boron species predominate as solution pH changes.
Glassmaking: The manufacture of glass by melting and shaping inorganic materials, chiefly silica-based mixtures. Boric acid is a feedstock for boron oxide, which modifies glass properties.
Hydroxyl group: A functional group consisting of an oxygen atom bonded to a hydrogen atom, written –OH. Three hydroxyl groups surround boron in the molecular structure of H₃BO₃.
Boric acid toxicity: Harmful effects caused by excessive boric acid exposure or ingestion. Its insecticidal usefulness does not make boric acid harmless to people or animals.
Boric oxide: A boron oxide, B₂O₃, formed by heating boric acid and used in glass production. Heating boric acid removes water and produces this important glass-forming oxide.
Insecticide: A substance used to kill insects or control their populations. Boric acid acts as a stomach poison and desiccant in some insect-control products.

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