Contemporary Living

Borates are fundamental components across key industries and applications
 

Refined borates support sustainable development, efficient energy consumption, and technological advances by improving the safety, durability, and performance of materials and products essential to contemporary living. Discover examples from each industry below.​

Ceramics, Enamels and Glazes

Industry examples:   Transportation   |   Buildings and materials   |   Consumer products   |   Energy and power   |   Technology

Transportation

Sustainable energy

Durability

Railroads remain a top form of transportation. Borates protect an essential component—wood crossties—from rot, pests, and moisture. That extends their service life for decades.

In cars, borosilicate glass is used to improve the strength of windshields.

Safety

When a car’s steel-based frame is made with refined borates, it becomes stronger and less vulnerable to corrosion. Borates also play an instrumental role in a car’s airbags by supporting their rapid inflation upon impact

Performance

Fluids critical to your car’s performance also benefit from borates. For example, boric acid can improve the lubrication properties of fuel, reducing friction in the engine.

As the world transitions to electric vehicles (EVs), boron plays a major role in improving the performance of several EV battery components, including the anode, cathode, electrolytes, and battery housing.


Buildings and Materials

Durability

A borate treatment is a safe and effective choice to protect wood from harmful actors such as fungi, pests, and fire that threaten this essential construction material’s durability.

Boron is also used in interior materials such as nylon carpet. Borax decahydrate controls pH during the dyeing process, which prevents the jute backing from stains.

Safety

From PVC pipes to wiring to silicone-based sealants, polymers are abundant in buildings. However, polymers are highly susceptible to combustion and burning. Zinc borates combat this propensity through excellent fire retardancy properties, making them a great choice for developing safer buildings.

For decades, two major types of insulation—cellulose and fiberglass—have also benefitted from borates’ fire retardancy properties.

Performance

High-quality, water-soluble borates penetrate completely through wood, giving the protection wood needs to maintain its integrity and performance.

Boron is also commonly added to gypsum board, which increases the board’s strength and reduces weight.


Consumer Products

Sustainable energy

Durability

Cracking, pinholes, blisters, and poor glaze adhesion are all problems that can plague consumer ceramics products. However, incorporating borates into their production eliminates these problems, creating durable ceramics such as cookware and tiles.

Safety

Eye drops feature boron as a key ingredient in solutions because it allows producers to control pH and retain moisture. Those qualities result in safe, effective products.

Performance

When you go to the grocery store, you may not realize boron helps you bring your food home. Borates are used in the adhesives that hold together many paper products such as grocery paper bags, corrugated box board, and cartons. Boron enables adhesives to achieve the right viscosity, tack, and bonding.


Energy and Power

Durability

Borosilicate glass is used for solar energy panels because it transmits light efficiently and provides a durable protective layer. This means the panels can withstand adverse weather conditions and experience a longer lifespan.

In another renewable energy source—wind energy—borate-based glass fibers fortify wind turbines.

Safety

Boron’s special atomic structure is critical to safeguard against rare, out-of-control reactions in nuclear power plants.

Performance

Batteries are everywhere—from the lithium-ion batteries in smartphones to the ones powering electric vehicles. Research shows that borates impart several key benefits when used in battery production, such as improved cycle life, increased ability to store energy, and rate capability. These benefits extend to large-scale capacitors as well, enhancing capacitor’s energy storage capabilities.


Technology

Sustainable energy

Durability

What prevents the glass used for your electronic device’s screen from shattering and scratching? Boron. Incorporating boron into a frit to make borosilicate glass increases the strength and durability of screens, while keeping desired properties such as thinness.

Safety

Applying a boron surface coating to a lithium-ion battery found in modern technology such as smartphones prevents harmful lithium deposits from accruing. Keeping batteries deposit free reduces the risk of batteries failing and even igniting in rare occurrences.


U.S. Borax, part of Rio Tinto, is a global leader in the supply and science of borates—naturally-occurring minerals containing boron and other elements. We are 1,000 people serving 650 customers with more than 1,800 delivery locations globally. We supply around 30% of the world’s need for refined borates from our world-class mine in Boron, California, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles.  Learn more about Rio Tinto.

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