Preparation
Boron trioxide is produced by treating borax with sulfuric acid in a fusion furnace. At temperatures above 750 °C, the molten boron oxide layer separates out from sodium sulfate. It is then decanted, cooled and obtained in 96–97% purity.
Another method is heating boric acid above ~300 °C. Boric acid will initially decompose into water steam and metaboric acid (HBO2) at around 170 °C, and further heating above 300 °C will produce more steam and boron trioxide. The reactions are:
- H3BO3 → HBO2 + H2O
- 2 HBO2 → B2O3 + H2O
Boric acid goes to anhydrous microcrystalline B2O3 in a heated fluidized bed. Carefully controlled heating rate avoids gumming as water evolves. Molten boron oxide attacks silicates. Internally graphitized tubes via acetylene thermal decomposition are passivated.
Crystallization of molten α-B2O3 at ambient pressure is strongly kinetically disfavored (compare liquid and crystal densities). Threshold conditions for crystallization of the amorphous solid are 10 kbar and ~200 °C. Its proposed crystal structure in enantiomorphic space groups P31(#144); P32(#145) (e.g., γ-glycine) has been revised to enantiomorphic space groups P3121(#152); P3221(#154)(e.g., α-quartz).
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