uses of Borax info by Chemical Man of India

Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. Powdered borax is white, consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve in water. A number of closely related minerals or chemical compounds that differ in their crystal water content are referred to as borax, but the word is usually used to refer to the decahydrate. Commercially sold borax is partially dehydrated.

Borax is a component of many detergents, cosmetics, and enamel glazes. It is used to make buffer solutions in biochemistry, as a fire retardant, as an anti-fungal compound, in the manufacture of fiberglass, as a flux in metallurgy, neutron-capture shields for radioactive sources, a texturing agent in cooking, as a precursor for other boron compounds, and along with its inverse, boric acid, is useful as an insecticide.

Uses

Borax-based laundry detergent
Household products
Borax is used in various household laundry and cleaning products, including the "20 Mule Team Borax" laundry booster, "Boraxo" powdered hand soap, and some tooth bleaching formulas.

pH buffer

Borate ions (commonly supplied as boric acid) are used in biochemical and chemical laboratories to make buffers, e.g. for polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of DNA and RNA, such as TBE buffer (borate buffered tris-hydroxymethylaminomethonium)or the newer SB buffer or BBS buffer (borate buffered saline) in coating procedures. Borate buffers (usually at pH 8) are also used as preferential equilibration solution in dimethyl pimelimidate (DMP) based crosslinking reactions.

other uses  

Ingredient in enamel glazes

Component of glass, pottery, and ceramics

Used as an additive in ceramic slips and glazes to improve fit on wet, greenware, and bisque

Fire retardant

Anti-fungal compound for cellulose insulation

Moth proofing 10% solution for wool

Pulverized for the prevention of stubborn pests (e.g. German cockroaches) in closets, pipe and cable inlets, wall panelling gaps, and inaccessible locations where ordinary pesticides are undesirable

Anti-fungal foot soak

Precursor for sodium perborate monohydrate that is used in detergents, as well as for boric acid and other borates

Tackifier ingredient in casein, starch and dextrin based adhesives

Precursor for boric acid, a tackifier ingredient in polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol based adhesives

Fluoride detoxification

Treatment for thrush in horses' hooves

To make indelible ink for dip pens by dissolving shellac into heated borax

Curing agent for snake skins

Curing agent for salmon eggs, for use in sport fishing for salmon

Swimming pool buffering agent to control pH

Neutron absorber, used in nuclear reactors and spent fuel pools to control reactivity and to shut down a nuclear chain reaction

As a micronutrient fertilizer to correct boron-deficient soils.

Preservative in taxidermy

To color fires with a green tint

Was traditionally used to coat dry-cured meats such as hams to protect them from becoming fly-blown during further storage

Is found in some commercial vitamin supplements

For stopping car radiator and engine block leaks

Used by blacksmiths in forge welding

Used as a woodworm treatment (diluted in water)

Used in the treatment or prevention of wood rot in classic wood boats

Used to enrich beets with Boron when leaves are wilting