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What is the difference between borate and boric acid?

Andrew Karonis  Follow

A borate is a compound of boron that contains oxygen. In other words, a borate is a class of compounds.

Boric acid, on the other other hand, is a specific compound. Its formula is H₃BO₃, it is a weak acid that dissociates in aqueous solution. However, as far as I can recall, other boron acids are sometimes called “boric acid”:

  • H₂B₄O₇ (pyroboric acid);
  • HBO₂ (metaboric acid).

Borates are regarded as derivatives of boric acid, because their structures may be seen as arising from the BO₃³¯ anion, which is formally the fully deprotonated form of H₃BO₃. I am saying “formally”, because the acidity of H₃BO₃ in aqueous solutions seems to be due to formation of [B(OH)₄]¯ tetrahedral units rather than straightforward proton loss.[1]

Footnotes

[1] Borate - Wikipedia

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Bill Hawkins  Follow

Borate and boric acid are both chemical compounds that contain the element boron. However, they have different structures and exhibit different properties.

Borate is a salt of boric acid with the formula Na2B4O7·10H2O. It is a white powder that is soluble in water. Borate is used as a food additive to add boron to the diet. Boric acid, on the other hand, is an inorganic compound with the formula H3BO3. It is a colorless solid that is soluble in water. Boric acid is used as an insecticide and antiseptic.

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