BORON BASED Preservatives - History

Active Dry Rot showing Fruiting Bodies

HISTORY- the '20 Mule Team' Borax legend

Compounds of Boron, known as Borates, have been mined since the 1800s (hauled by the famous 20 Mule Teams) and have been used to control insect pests, including termites and ants, for over 100 years.

By the 1940s borate formulations were being used to protect wood. Because they are water soluble, Borates diffuse into wood using the wood's own moisture (even 'air dry' timber has a moisture content of 12-15%) and they protect against termites, wood destroying beetles, carpenter ants and fungi, including Dry rot.

Borates are an integral part of the natural world. Plants need borates to grow, and it seems people need them too. Not only as a nutritionally important part of their diet, but also as an essential ingredient in a dazzling array of the products we use every day. Borates are important ingredients in a variety of household and commercial products, chief among them:

• insulation fibreglass, textile fibreglass and heat-resistant glass (43% of world demand)
• detergents, soaps and personal care products (17% of world demand)
• ceramic and enamel frits and glazes, ceramic tile bodies (12% of world demand)
• agricultural micronutrients (5% of world demand)
• other uses including wood treatments, polymer additives and pest control products

"The fire retardancy of boron compounds has been noted for quite some time. Mixtures of borax and boric acid have been used as a preservative in wood. It was found that these compounds have some efficacy in retarding flame spread on wood surface. In addition to the usual char-forming catalytic effect, they have a rather low melting point and form glassy films when exposed to high temperatures in fires. The formation of the film barrier inhibits the flow of combustible volatiles to the fire exposed surface. Borax tends to reduce flame spread. Because of their beneficial effects, boron compounds are often considered a good flame retardant. These beneficial effects include preservative effectiveness, neutral pH, and less impact on mechanical properties compared to some other flame retardant chemicals.

1) Fire retardancy is a function of the loading level of chemicals.

2) It has been estimated that loading levels of at least 7.5 percent add-on level (3 lb/ft/3/) (48 kg/m/3/) of borax-boric acid are needed for southern Pine to meet the ASTM E 84 class I requirement.

3) There is a minimum loading level of approximately 5 percent borax-boric acid necessary to achieve a class 2 requirement (FSI) and 7.5 percent loading level to achieve a class 1."

Extract from - Hamel, Margaret, ed. 1st International conference on wood protection with diffusible preservatives: Proceedings 47355;1990 November 28–30; Nashville, TN. Madison, WI: Forest Products Research Society; 1990:39-41.

TECHNICAL DATA

Active Substance - Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate at up to 20% w/w (Na2B8O13 4H2O)

Equivalent to 244grams per litre

Boric Acid Equivalent = 23.8% active

For Pre-Treatment - supplied via Cementone Beaver under BBA Certificate No. 92/3893.

Supplied as:

- a white powder, to dissolve in water

- a solution of powder in water

- a clear gel, ready to apply to surfaces

- an opaque stiff paste, ready to inject

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Boron is a non-metallic element, group III in the periodic table. Symbol B; atomic number 5; atomic mass 10.811; melting point ca 2,300 C; sublimation point ca 2,550 C; specific gravity 2.37 or 2.34; valence +3.. There are two allotropes of boron; amorphous boron is a dark brown to black amorphous powder, but the metal-like crystalline solid is an extremely hard (9.3 on Mohs' scale), black to silver-grey, brittle, lustrous and is a bad conductor in room temperatures. The specific gravity's of amorphous and crystalline forms are 2.37 and 2.34 respectively. The crystalline form is far less reactive than the amorphous form. The amorphous powder is oxidised slowly in air at room temperature and ignites spontaneously at high temperatures to form an oxide, but the crystalline form is oxidised only very slowly, even at higher temperatures. Boron is widely distributed in the form of borates but is never found in the elemental form in nature. The important commercial borate products are borax penta (or deca) hydrate, boron oxide, sodium perborate, boric acid and the mineral forms are borax, colemanite, ulexite, tincal, kermite, and brines, as well as ascharite, hydroboracite, datolite, tourmaline. The simple way to prepare boron of amorphous powder form is the reduction of boron trioxide by heating with magnesium. Boric acid is produced mainly from borate ores containing sodium or calcium by the reaction with sulphuric acid in the presence of a hot aqueous boric acid liquor.

Major end uses for borates include;

FIBREGLASS AND GLASS : Boron fibres probide very high tensile strength and can be added to plastics to make a material that is stronger than steel yet lighter than aluminium. Boron is used primarily in fibreglass and boronsilicate glass which is the strong heat-resistant glass that contains a minimum of 5 percent boric oxide. The resistance to heat and chemical is attributable to the boric oxide which replaces for sodium oxide in the structure of the glass, creating low thermal expansion. Replaced for sodium oxide, Boric Oxide is a powerful base offering a high quality of heat and chemical resistance. Boric compounds are important components in optical glass industry to reduce thermal and mechanical shocks but to increase chemical resistance and durability.

CERAMICS : Boric compounds reduce significantly the melting point and can be used as an essential ingredient for the production of ceramic frits and borosilicate glazes. Boric compounds are used to control the coefficient of expansion to ensure that the glaze remains fixed with the body without crazing or distortion.

AGRICULTURE AND FERTILISER: Boron is an essential micronutrient for plant growth. Boron fertilisers mixed with other compounds or NPK fertilisers are useful boron-deficient soils.

FLAME RETARDANT : Boron is an effective chemical flame retardant for an array of products. It is also used with wood, plywood, textile products, cotton, paper and cellulose.

CORROSION INHIBITOR : Different boric composition can be used as Corrosion Inhibitors and antifreeze (mixed with Ethylene Glycol in automobile motor cooling systems), as well as in brewing, heat treating, hydraulic fluids, and treatment of metallic products.

WOOD PRESERVATIVES and PESTICIDES : Borates and Boric Acid are very effective in controlling and eliminating insects and fungi. Though they are not harmful to mammals, they are toxic against cockroaches, ants, scarabs, larvae, and other insects, resulting in manipulation at any location and environment.

METALLURGY : Boron is used as a sealing for non-ferrous metals and used as a deoxidiser and degasifier in metallurgy. Because it absorbs neutrons. It is used in the production of steel. Traces of Ferro boron in boric steel increase its strength. Bron eliminates impurities metallurgist systems, resulting in highly pure material to be used in electrical conductors especially.

PHARMACEUTICALS AND COSMETICS : Boric Acid is recognised for its application as a pH buffer and as a moderate antiseptic agent and emulsifier. It is a component of ointments, mouthwashes, eye-drops, bath salts, creams and shampoos. It can be used for skin cooking sensation due to good thermal conductivity. It is also known boron compounds made with all 10B isotope selectively destroy cancer cell.

NUCLEAR APPLICATIONS : Boron is used in the shielding material, in neutron detection and in some control rods of nuclear reactors as it absorbs neutrons.

Special features

· Surface penetration
· Easy to apply by brush/spray
· Fungicide/Insecticide
· Odourless
· Non Flammable
· Very low acute toxicity
· No emulsions

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BORON - Inorganic Borate Compounds

SINGLE CHEMICAL - TRIPLE ACTION

TIMBER & MASONRY TREATMENTS

Introduction

Borons are fungicidal and insecticidal treatments manufactured from Inorganic Compounds of the Element Boron. They prevent insect attack and eradicate Dry rot in timber, being mobile in dry timber. They allow the use of the ZERO CUTBACK OPTION - no sound timber need be removed beyond the physically damaged zone. They also provide permanent protection, as the active ingredient does not break down or evaporate.

WORLDWIDE USE

Over 40 years of successful use in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Used in dusting, foaming, spraying, brushing and pressure treatment applications. Other major uses include: glass production, detergent preparations, enamel and ceramic glazes.

PENETRATION

Even when applied in its most basic form, as a solution (up to 12.5% active) in water, Borates penetrate a minimum of 2-3 mm in 'DRY' timber and more, depending on the moisture content of the timber. In conjunction with Glycols, as gels and pastes (in concentrations of up to 78%) penetration increases dramatically. These more expensive products are designed for situations where deep seated decay requires high below-surface concentration of the active ingredient. This is not required, or desirable for normal Common furniture beetle spraying.

DURABILITY

Boron remains inert in the timber, providing protection long enough for Railtrack to have specified it for Railway Sleeper protection.

'Boron' is a generic term (more correctly used for the Element Boron) applied to a range of Boron Compounds known as Borates and sold under the names D.O.T., Timbor, Tim Bor and Borax, all made by the company U. S. Borax, of '20 Mule Team Train' fame.

Boric Acid, a white powder, is mined from the Mojave Desert in California and is nature's proven long-term treatment in eliminating Cockroaches, Palmetto bugs, Waterbugs, Ants, Silverfish, Carpenter Ants, and Termites. This chemical has many interesting and useful characteristics. A few are discussed here such as use as an insecticide, a preservative,and a fire retardant.

The first use of borates as an insecticide was in 1922 when P.F. Harris invented the Roach Tablet. It evolved into many products including today’s “Roach Motel”. By 1985 there were over 200 registered pesticides containing borates.

In 1955 framing lumber in New Foundland began being treated with borates to control an epidemic of termite destruction. Since then, none of the homes using borate treated wood has had any infestation of termites or wood decay. In the 1970’s Europe and the US began studying borates for wood preserving properties. There was a huge lawsuit involving an US lumber company that put tropical hardwoods in over 1000 homes. The hardwood had beetles in the wood. The homes were treated with borates and the hardwood mills in South America began pre-treating their wood with borates. Since then there have been NO problems with beetles.

This simple inexpensive, household chemical is deadly to all insects. It has been shown to attack their nervous systems, as well as being a drying agent to their bodies. In combination with certain chemical solvents ( such as propylene glycol ) it may migrate slightly into such objects as wood and concrete, following the solvent, and providing some degree of lasting protection. Commercial development of such products are Bora-Care, and Boric Acid type insecticides & products. (See Wood Rot) As a general household insecticide Boric Acid is safe enough to use around children, and has been used in ointments and salves for diaper rash on babies. It is also used, in a very dilute solution, as an eyewash.

Another well known and thoroughly proven use is in fire retardancy. It is the fire retardant used in all blown type cellulose insulation commonly used in homes. Natures Insecticide: Boric Acid is the "secret ingredient" in so many commercial treatments for insect control. Boric acid (100%) powder is odourless and nonstaining. Kills roaches,termites, fireants, palmetto bugs,ticks,bedbugs, fleas, boxelder bugs, carpet beetles, centipedes, crickets, earwigs, grasshoppers,millipedes, scorpions, slugs water bugs,and many many more creepy crawly insects.

Ants : This home-made treatment has worked very well on both carpenter ants and pharaoh ants. Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon of Boric Acid, 1 tsp of Sugar, 4 oz water, Cotton Balls. Mix Boric Acid and Sugar in a bowl. This can be poured over a cotton wad in a small dish or bottle cap. Keep this from drying out for continued effectiveness. Place Cotton balls in path of Ants.

Cockroaches: Boric acid powder is often called "roach powder".

Termites: Boric acid when mixed with propylene glycol (non-toxic version of antifreeze) has proven to be very effective against many types of termites. The glycol helps the solution to penetrate into the wood and become a part of the wood fibre. This solution is a terrific treatment for dry rot in wood.

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