Sodium Tetraborate
Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is a compound with formula Na 2H4B4O9•nH2O or, more precisely, [Na•(H2O)+m]2 [B4O5(OH)2−4].
The formula is often improperly written as Na 2B4O7•(n+2)H2O, reflecting an older incorrect understanding of the anion's molecular structure. The name may refer to any of a number of closely related boron-containing mineral or chemical compounds that differ in their water of crystallization content. The most commonly encountered one is the octahydrate Na 2H4B4O9•8H2O or [Na(H2O)+4]2 [B4O5(OH)2−2] (or Na2B4O7•10H2O, the "decahydrate", in the older notation). It is a colorless crystalline solid that dissolves in water.
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 cross-linking agent in slime, as an alkali in photographic developers, as a precursor for other boron compounds, and is useful as an insecticide (similarly to boric acid).
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid (American spelling) or sulphuric acid (British spelling), also known as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen, with molecular formula H2SO4. It is a colourless, odourless, and viscous liquid that is soluble in water and is synthesized in reactions that are highly exothermic.
Its corrosiveness can be mainly ascribed to its strong acidic nature, and, if at a high concentration, its dehydrating properties. It is also hygroscopic, readily absorbing water vapor from the air. Upon contact, sulfuric acid can cause severe chemical burns and even secondary thermal burns; it is very dangerous even at lower concentrations.
Sulfuric acid is a very important commodity chemical, and a nation's sulfuric acid production is a good indicator of its industrial strength. It is widely produced with different methods, such as contact process, wet sulfuric acid process, lead chamber process and some other methods.
Sulfuric acid is also a key substance in the chemical industry. It is most commonly used in fertilizer manufacture, but is also important in mineral processing, oil refining, wastewater processing, and chemical synthesis. It has a wide range of end applications including in domestic acidic drain cleaners, as an electrolyte in lead-acid batteries, in dehydrating a compound, and in various cleaning agents.