Podcast – Boron Around the Home
Today we’re going to look at how boron can benefit furniture and other articles – boron around the home. Even though boron is not a well-known element, boron benefits are numerous for modern life. It’s present in almost everything, including humans, animals, plants, soil, water, and many different applications and products.
Welcome back to the Borates Today podcast. Each week we cover news on boron and borates that’s relevant to the industry and timely with a range of topics, including the latest industry news; we answer questions about the key players in the sector.
What are the trends driving demand and supply for boron? the science behind boron? Who’s doing valuable research into new boron applications and benefits? How does boron help in decarbonization, in advanced energy? In food security and in nutrition? So don’t forget to check out boron applications and benefits on our website: borates.today
Today we’re going to look at how boron can benefit furniture and other articles around the home. Even though boron is not a well-known element, boron benefits are numerous for modern life. It’s present in almost everything, including humans, animals, plants, soil, water, and many different applications and products.
Many wood preservatives are used containing boron as a mixture to protect against rot and insect damage. Once the protective layer is applied, it prevents moisture and pests from penetrating the surface. DIsodium Octaborate is the active component of these boron-based wood treatments. It’s a naturally occurring substance that poses no environmental risk and is also non-hazardous to animals in significant quantities.
Boron-based wood treatments are suitable for dry areas above the ground, such as flooring, furniture, framing, and joinery. Since it leaches, it cannot be used in or near water.
It can also be utilized outdoors in specific circumstances if it’s guarded against the environment while building. In electronic devices, boron is an important element in the electronic industry and in consumer products. It is used as a semiconductor dopant to control the materials, electrical conductivity, and provide structural support and insulation.
It’s also used to produce borosilicate glass in LCD screens by adding boron oxide to silica to manufacture these screens and other optical components. And these glasses are also employed for household lighting and other standard lamps. Besides this, boron treatments are seen in manufacturing modern smartphone components such as touchscreen displays for durability and responsiveness. Boron is a key component of gorilla glass, for example, by Corning.
It’s used in batteries for energy performance and longer product life and other essential components like microprocessors and camera chips. So boron when added to metals, forms protective coatings that resist corrosion and enhances tensile strength.
The element also has excellent flame-retardant properties and is often used in fireproofing materials. In personal care products in the bathroom, boron is a key ingredient in many popular cosmetic and skin care products because it helps improve skin, hair, and nail appearance.
It helps keep the skin hydrated by helping the body produce collagen and elastin, two essential proteins for healthy skin. And boron also helps reduce inflammation and can even kill bacteria that causes acne. In addition, Boron benefits personal care products with pH balancing, employing waxes or oils to emulsify, stabilizing foams, and for moisture retention. It’s also effective as a component of dandruff and other scalp condition shampoos. When applied topically, the boron treatment can help to soothe the scalp and remove excess oil and sebum.
Also in the bathroom, boron is used in multiple dental care products. When it comes to dental health, the boron benefits accrue by keeping the mouth clean and preventing the growth of bacteria and plaque. Boron solutions also helps to strengthen tooth enamel, making teeth less susceptible to cavities in decay. Boron can also help reduce inflammation in the gum, which can lead to gum. Many products on the market contain some form of boron, such as toothpaste, mouthwash, and chewing gum.
Downstairs in the kitchen, boron can make cooking and household chores easy. Boron can be helpful as boron-based enamels, and borosilicate glass can endure high temperatures, making them particularly beneficial in the kitchen.
Boron is also useful for sanitation by reducing bacterial growth in dishwater. It’s also used in some non-stick coatings for frying pans and other kitchen utensils. In addition to these practical uses, boron can add a beautiful luster to tableware. It’s used for ceramic wall and floor tiles that come in various pattern styles and colors. Every year, billions of Boris silica glazes are produced.
In window glass, boron is used to help block out UV radiation, protecting against harmful sun exposure. And additionally, boron-based glasses are much stronger and more durable than traditional window glasses. So overall, using boron in windows can provide both improved safety and durability.
Boron is also necessary for human health in small amounts. It helps the body absorb and use calcium and magnesium, two important minerals for bone health. Boron can also help maintain healthy estrogen levels having said that, most people consume enough boron in their daily diet. Some people, however, might need supplements if they’re not getting enough.
In the car in your garage, one of the most common boron benefits is as an alloying agent in steel production. Boron strengthens the steel and makes it more resistant to wear and tear, making it ideal for use in vehicle manufacturing. It’s also used to produce other automotive materials such as abs, plastic, and fiberglass.
And in addition, boron-based compounds are used as catalysts and various industrial processes, including the manufacturer of gasoline and diesel fuel.
In the garden, boron is helpful for healthy plant growth. In plant processes, including cell wall formation, pollen germination, and seed synthesis, certain amounts of boron can help improve all these.
It can also be used as a foliar spray in the garden to help the soil. Boron can be used in the form of boric acid, borax, or other solvable boron compounds in this respect. It’s also a simple, affordable, and friendly pest-controlled method in gardens. It has been found that borates are more effective than other pesticides when it comes to killing bugs on plants because they don’t harm humans or animals alike.
📍 Finally, for those of us lucky enough to have a swimming pool in the garden, Borax is used as a cleaner in pools. It can help stabilize alkalinity and work as a pH buffer. It also softens water, reduces the need for chlorination and inhibits any algae formation.
And that’s all from Borates Today. For more information on topics related to boron and borates, don’t forget to check out our website. borates.today and our YouTube channel and podcasts. Thanks for listening.
