Boron

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Atomic symbol: B

Atomic number: 5

Atomic weight: 10.81

Atomic volume: 4.6 cm³/mol

Density: 2.34 g/cm³

Period Number: 2

Group number: 13

Group name: Non-Metal

Element classification: Semi-metal

States

Phase at room temperature: Solid

Melting Point: 2352.2 K

Boiling point: 3923.2 K

Heat of fusion: 50.20 kJ/mol

Heat of vaporization: 489.70 kJ/mol

Energies

Ionization Energy: 8.298 eV

1st ionization energy: 800.6 kJ/mole

2nd ionization energy: 2427 kJ/mole

3rd ionization energy: 3659.7 kJ/mole

Electronegativity: 2.04

Electron affinity: 26.7 kJ/mole

Specific heat: 1.02 J/gK

Heat atomization: 573 kJ/mole atoms

Oxidation & Electrons

Shells: 2,3

Electron Shell Configuration: [He] 2s2 2p1

Minimum oxidation number: 0

Maximum oxidation number: 3

Minimum common oxidation number: 0

Maximum common oxidation no: 3

Appearance & Characteristics

Structure:: special: B12 icosahedra

Color: black

Hardness: 9.5 mohs

Toxicity: ?

Characteristics: B12 icosahedra; 3 forms

Uses: borax, glass making(B2O3)

Reactions

Reaction with air: mild, w/ht =>B₂O₃

Reaction with 6M HCl: none

Reaction with 15M HNO3: none

Reaction with 6M NaOH: none

Other Forms

Number of isotopes: 2

Oxide(s): B₂O₃

Hydride(s): B₂H₆ and many B_xH_y

Chloride(s): BCl₃ and many B_xCl_y

Radius

Atomic Radius: 85 pm

Ionic radius (1- ion): pm

Ionic radius (1+ ion): pm

Ionic radius (2- ion): pm

Ionic radius (2+ ion): pm

Ionic radius (3+ ion): 41 pm

Conductivity

Thermal conductivity: 27.4 J/m-sec-deg

Electrical conductivity: 0 1/mohm-cm

Polarizability: 3 A^3

Abundance

Source: Na and Ca borates (misc)

Relative abundance solar system: 1.326 log

Abundance earth's crust: 1 log

Estimated crustal abundance: 1.0×10 milligrams per kilogram

Estimated oceanic abundance: 4.44 milligrams per liter

History

(Ar. Buraq, Pers. Burah) Boron compounds have been known for thousands of years, but the element was not discovered until 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy and by Gay-Lussac and Thenard.

Sources

The element is not found free in nature, but occurs as orthoboric acid usually found in certain volcanic spring waters and as borates in boron and colemantie. Ulexite, another boron mineral, is interesting as it is nature's own version of "fiber optics."

Important sources of boron are ore rasorite (kernite) and tincal (borax ore). Both of these ores are found in the Mojave Desert. Tincal is the most important source of boron from the Mojave. Extensive borax deposits are also found in Turkey.

Boron exists naturally as 19.78% ¹⁰B isotope and 80.22% ¹¹B isotope. High-purity crystalline boron may be prepared by the vapor phase reduction of boron trichloride or tribromide with hydrogen on electrically heated filaments. The impure or amorphous, boron, a brownish-black powder, can be obtained by heating the trioxide with magnesium powder.

Boron of 99.9999% purity has been produced and is available commercially. Elemental boron has an energy band gap of 1.50 to 1.56 eV, which is higher than that of either silicon or germanium.

Properties

Optical characteristics include transmitting portions of the infrared. Boron is a poor conductor of electricity at room temperature but a good conductor at high temperature.

Uses

Amorphous boron is used in pyrotechnic flares to provide a distinctive green color, and in rockets as an igniter.

By far the most commercially important boron compound in terms of dollar sales is Na₂B₄O₇.5H₂O. This pentahydrate is used in very large quantities in the manufacture of insulation fiberglass and sodium perborate bleach.

Boric acid is also an important boron compound with major markets in textile products. Use of borax as a mild antiseptic is minor in economical terms. Boron compounds are also extensively used in the manufacture of borosilicate glasses. Other boron compounds show promise in treating arthritis.

The isotope boron-10 is used as a control for nuclear reactors, as a shield for nuclear radiation, and in instruments used for detecting neutrons. Boron nitride has remarkable properties and can be used to make a material as hard as diamond. The nitride also behaves like an electrical insulator but conducts heat like a metal.

Boron also has lubricating properties similar to graphite. The hydrides are easily oxidized with considerable energy liberation, and have been studied for use as rocket fuels. Demand is increasing for boron filaments, a high-strength, lightweight material chiefly employed for advanced aerospace structures.

Boron is similar to carbon in that it has a capacity to form stable covalently bonded molecular networks. Carbonates, metalloboranes, phosphacarboranes, and other families comprise thousands of compounds.

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