Boron
🧼 In Your World
Boron is a versatile element you encounter in many forms. It's a key ingredient in borosilicate glass (like Pyrex), which resists heat shock, making it perfect for lab equipment and kitchenware. As borax, it's a common household cleaner and laundry booster. Boron is also used to create super-hard materials like boron carbide and is an essential micronutrient for plants.
📖 The Discovery Story
Boron was not recognized as an element until 1808, when it was isolated by French chemists Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac and Louis Jacques Thénard, and independently by Sir Humphry Davy in London. They produced boron by reacting boric acid with potassium. The name "boron" is derived from its most common compound, borax, whose name comes from the Arabic word buraq.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 2076 °C / 3769 °F |
| Boiling Point | 3927 °C / 7101 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [He] 2s²2p¹ |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.001% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Elemental boron is relatively non-toxic. However, some boron compounds, like boric acid, can be toxic if ingested in large quantities. Boron hydrides (boranes) are highly toxic and flammable and must be handled with extreme care. In its solid form, boron is a hard, brittle, and dark lustrous metalloid.