Glass and fiberglassIt is used to produce high-grade glass and glass fiber such as optical glass, acid-resistant glass, organic boron glass, etc. It can improve the heat resistance and transparency of the glass, increase the mechanical strength, and shorten the melting time.
B2O3 plays the dual role of flux and network former in the manufacture of glass and glass fiber. For example, in the production of glass fiber, the melting temperature can be lowered to facilitate wire drawing. Generally speaking, B2O3 can reduce viscosity, control thermal expansion, prevent devitrification, improve chemical stability, and improve resistance to mechanical and thermal shocks.
In the production of glass that requires low sodium content, boric acid is often mixed with sodium borate (such as borax pentahydrate or anhydrous borax) to adjust the ratio of sodium to boron in the glass. This is very important for borosilicate glass, because boron oxide shows good solubility in low sodium and high aluminum conditions.
Enamel and ceramics
The enamel and ceramic industries are used in the production of glazes, which can reduce the thermal expansion of the glaze and lower the curing temperature of the glaze, thereby preventing cracking and deglazing, and improving the gloss and fastness of the product.
For ceramics and enamel glazes, boron oxide is a good flux and network forming body. It can form glass (at low temperatures), improve the adaptability of the blank glaze, reduce the viscosity and surface tension, increase the refractive index, improve the mechanical strength, durability and wear resistance. It is an important component of the lead-free glaze. The high boron frit matures quickly and forms a smooth glaze quickly, which is good for coloring. In the fast-fired glazed brick frit, B2O3 is introduced as boric acid to ensure low sodium content.