Sodium metaborate question

Xícara

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Hi. I'm trying source sodium metaborate here in Brazil where it is called metaborato de sódio. There seems to be two types available: metaborato de sódio 4H2O (tetra-hydrate?) and metaborato de sódio 10H2O. Does anyone know please which I should choose?
Thanks,
 

MattKing

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What is your intended use for it?
 

reddesert

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The different hydrations just refer to how many water molecules are attached to each ion when the structure is crystallized (probably from solution in the manufacturing process). Once you dissolve them in water, they should have the same chemical effect, but the molecular weights are different so you would need to convert the weights in a recipe.

I think most photographic formulas are likely using sodium metaborate tetrahydrate, NaBO2 * 4H2O.

I would want to check that the decahydrate is actually sodium metaborate. If it's sodium borate decahydrate, that could be Borax (Na2B4O7 * 10H2O), which is also an alkali but not an equivalent substitute for sodium metaborate.
 
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Xícara

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Yes, I see. Thanks very much.
 

bernard_L

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Possibly this helps:
and this:
 

pentaxuser

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That helps a lot, thanks. A quote I just got back for 500g of sodium metaborate tetrahydrate was exorbitant!

There is a way to make it from other ingredients Here's the video


Of course it relies on the availablity of the chemicals mentioned in the video in Brazil but hopefully they are cheaper and easier to get hold of than Sodium Metaborate

pentaxuser
 
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