Common uses of boron

Borax, the most common natural form of boron, has a wide variety of uses. Borax is used in cleaning compounds, glass and ceramics, fertilizers, papers and paints, and fire retardants. Borax is also used in enamels covering the steel of refrigerators, washing machines, and other like objects.

Boron nitride, or borazon, is a hard material and is used as an abrasive.

Boracic acid is used as a mild antiseptic.

Other boron compounds are used for heat-resistant glass, detergents and soaps, enamels, and medicine.

Boron is known as a very hard element. It is also very strong and light weight. Boron is almost as hard as diamond, so it is used in place diamonds in many cases. Boron is added to steel for extra hardness and strength at high temperatures.

Boron is conducts heat very well, and is a great insulator, thus it has increasingly amounts of technological appliances.

Boron also serves many uses in atomic energy. It is used in instruments designed to detect, and count slow neutrons. It also has a high absorption of neutrons, so it is used as a control absorber in nuclear reactors.