In-depth Analysis of Boron: From Atomic Structure to Efficient Removal Techniques

The wide application of boron

1. Glass and ceramic industry

Borosilicate glass has a low coefficient of thermal expansion and can resist sudden temperature changes, so it is used in laboratory vessels, high-end cookware and optical lenses. Adding boron compounds to ceramic glazes can lower the melting point and enhance the luster.

2. Agriculture and Plant Nutrition

Boron is an essential trace element for plant growth and is crucial for cell wall formation, pollen tube growth and seed development. Boron deficiency can lead to physiological diseases such as apple wood bolting and beet heart rot. Every year, millions of tons of borates are used as fertilizers worldwide, especially in crops such as rapeseed, apples and grapes.

3. Clean Energy and Nuclear Industry

In nuclear power plants, boron (especially the boron-10 isotope) is used as control rod material and neutron shield due to its high neutron absorption cross-section, and it is a key element in the safety control of nuclear reactions. Meanwhile, boron is also an important auxiliary element in the purification of silicon materials in solar panels.

4. New materials field

Boron fiber is four times stronger than steel but much lighter in weight, and is used in aerospace composite materials. Boron nitride is known as "white graphene" and is an excellent insulator and heat-conducting material. Borane compounds are an important component of high-energy fuels.

The potential influence of boron

Although boron is widely used, its accumulation in the environment may cause problems:

Toxicity to plants

When the boron concentration in the soil exceeds 1mg/L, many plants begin to show symptoms of poisoning. When the concentration exceeds 5mg/L, sensitive crops such as citrus and grapes will experience withered leaves and a sharp decline in yield. The boron content of irrigation water must be strictly controlled between 0.3 and 1.0mg/L.

2. Impact on human health

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the boron content in drinking water should not exceed 2.4 mg/L. Long-term excessive intake of boron may affect the reproductive system and development. In some areas, the groundwater has a naturally high boron content due to geological reasons and needs to be treated.

3. Industrial emissions and pollution

Industrial wastewater from industries such as glass, ceramics, and detergents may contain high concentrations of boron (up to over 100mg/L). If these wastewater are discharged into the environment without treatment, they may pollute water bodies and affect aquatic ecology.

Boron-removing resin: A technological breakthrough for efficient removal

Chemical structure type

Polyhydroxy functionalized resin

Typical functional group: N-methyl-D-glucosamine (NMDG)

Mechanism of action: The cis-ortho hydroxyl group forms a five-membered ring complex with boric acid

Molecular-level analysis of adsorption mechanism

"Key and lock" coordination model (when boric acid molecules approach the functional groups of the resin:)

Initial identification: Boron, as a Lewis acid, is attracted by the lone pair of electrons of the hydroxyl group

Coordination formation: Two cis-hydroxyl groups form a B-O bond with the boron atom

Cyclization stability: Formation of stable five-membered cyclic esters (tetrahedral anion complexes under alkaline conditions)

Proton transfer: Proton release/absorption occurs along with pH changes

Technical advantage

High selectivity: Specifically designed for boron, it can still work effectively in high-salt environments such as seawater and salt lake brine

High capacity: The adsorption capacity of high-quality boron-removing resin can reach 5-10mg B/g of resin

High-efficiency removal: It can reduce the boron concentration from several hundred mg/L to below 0.5mg/L, meeting the most stringent water quality standards

Renewability: Regeneration can be achieved by using dilute acid or acidified brine, and its performance remains stable after being reused hundreds of times

Easy operation: It can run in conventional ion exchange columns and is easy to integrate into existing water treatment systems