PLANET BORON

We have only one planet. Resources are finite, and it is our joint responsibility to take action to make the world a better place for future generations. Planet Boron is an initiative by Borates Today to harness the strengths and benefits of one of the world's most precious resources - BORON - and publish news and events about boron's availability, applications, benefits for  achieving the collective vision and shared goals as we embrace multiple goals related to four key areas:  Decarbonization; Advanced Energy, Food Security and Micronutrients.

DECARBONIZATION

ADVANCED ENERGY

FOOD SECURITY

MICRONUTRIENTS

ADVANCED ENERGY

U.S. Renewable Energies Strategy to Benefit Boron and Lithium

U.S. Government Doubles Down on Renewable Energies Strategy to Secure Boron, Lithium MetalThe U.S. Government continues to assure mining producers that it is determined to secure strategic minerals such as Boron and Lithium for EV production and other advanced energy needs as these sectors are poised to grow significantly in the coming decade. The Biden administration is looking even more closely at approving domestic sources of electric battery vehicle metals such as boron and lithium.

Borates in Adhesives
ADVANCED ENERGY, Efficient Power Sources

Borates in Adhesives

Borates in Adhesives: Borates are used for home and commercial use. For commercial use, they are commonly used in adhesives by the paperboard and corrugated paper industries. The primary chemical compounds for adhesive applications are sodium decahydrate, borax decahydrate, and boric acid.

boron solar energy
ADVANCED ENERGY, Efficient Power Sources

Boron in Solar Panels

Boron in solar panels is becoming more important in energy provision for advanced and developing countries. Over the past several decades, solar cell efficiency has steadily increased. This is due in part to the increase in the number of light-absorbing layers in a cell and partly due to boron in solar power working with silicon to optimize the energy generated by sunlight.

Porous-boron-Nitride--Oil-Spill-Cleanup
Carbon Cycle, DECARBONIZATION, Environmental Protection

Porous Boron Nitride

The formation and applications of porous Boron Nitride have been the subject of popular research lately. Its high porosity and thermal stability will help pave the way for improving large-scale industrial gas and liquid separations, such as those used in carbon capture or water treatment processes by reducing the amount of energy required.

mining and decarbonization
ADVANCED ENERGY, APPLICATIONS, Efficient Power Sources

Boron Rocket Fuel

Boron Rocket Fuel: Boron has a high intrinsic energy density. It is inexpensive, plentiful, and stable, making it a good choice for solid rocket fuels and an additive for jet fuels to increase their energy output. However, the oxide shell and its impurities make boron unreliable at the ignition point. Research is ongoing into overcoming these impurities so that boron fuel may be used more widely in space travel.

Boron, Powering Advanced energy
DECARBONIZATION

Decarbonization and Boron

Rio Tinto Mine. The Serbian government has finally revoked Rio Tinto's licenses for lithium exploration in Serbia in the latter part of January 2022. The government gave in to the protesters who have been opposed to the Anglo-Australian mining company's project on environmental grounds. Last year, the company committed to the project as global miners push for metals necessary to transition to green energy. This includes lithium which is used in the production of electric vehicle batteries. The project was already suspended in December 2021 due to environmental deterioration and forced displacement concerns.

Boron and Food Security
FOOD SECURITY

Boron and Food Security Utilization

Food Utilization, or food metabolization, is one of three drivers of Food Security (the other two being Availability and Accessibility). Food Utilization is all about the ability of animals and humans to use and benefit from nutrients in their food either through absorption or intake via the proper natural consumption of food.

Nissan Advanced Energy
ADVANCED ENERGY, Batteries and Capacitors

Nissan EV Battery

Nissan is currently the only automaker with a complete lineup of electric vehicles, including full-electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and zero-emission light commercial vehicles. The company’s goal is to be an industry leader in advanced energy and zero-emission mobility by 2030. As a leader in developing new battery technologies to improve efficiency and power for their lineup of vehicles, use of rare earth metals and near rare earth metals such as boron and lithium is at the heart of the battery power program. But batteries have a limited lifespan. Once it comes to recycling, there is too much waste. Nissan is tackling this problem with Waseda University to produce breakthrough innovations in Electric Vehicles technology.

Industrial Boron Decarbonization
DECARBONIZATION, PODCASTS

Podcast – Boron and Decarbonization in the Chemicals Industry

Boron and Decarbonization: To reduce their carbon footprint and make the world cleaner, many chemical industry companies are embracing decarbonization strategies. What can the chemical sector do to contribute significantly to climate change by reducing greenhouse gases from the chemicals manufactured using fossil fuels?

Today, we will review current practices and regulations in an industry-wide drive to meet goals and look at how the latest technological breakthroughs play a pivotal role in shifting toward more sustainable and eco-friendly infrastructure.

Boron-based Polymers for EV Storage
FOOD SECURITY, Innovation, RESEARCH, SCIENCE

Boron-based Polymers for EV Storage

Boron-based Polymers for EV Storage: Boron-based Polymers to Improve Electric Vehicle Energy Storage: Boron-based polymers such as BNNTs are 2D nanomaterials with excellent properties for improving electric vehicle energy storage given their high surface areas, large aspect ratios, and good thermal conductivities. Borates Today examines the potential for use of BNNTs in electric vehicle transmissions and batteries.

Boron Microelectronics
ADVANCED ENERGY, Batteries and Capacitors, Energy Management

Boron and Micro-Supercapacitors

Boron nitride (BN) has shown great potential for microelectronics in the architecture of micro-supercapacitors. Boron Nitride has a large bandgap (5.5eV), superior thermal stability, and high thermal conductance. Boron Micro-supercapacitors in the laboratory exhibit high energy density. They can also withstand harsh environments such as high temperature or electromagnetic interference much better than silicon-based micro capacitors. 

Boron in Bioconversion.jpg
DECARBONIZATION

Boron in Bioconversion

Rio Tinto Mine. The Serbian government has finally revoked Rio Tinto's licenses for lithium exploration in Serbia in the latter part of January 2022. The government gave in to the protesters who have been opposed to the Anglo-Australian mining company's project on environmental grounds. Last year, the company committed to the project as global miners push for metals necessary to transition to green energy. This includes lithium which is used in the production of electric vehicle batteries. The project was already suspended in December 2021 due to environmental deterioration and forced displacement concerns.

Boron Powers Space Exploration
ADVANCED ENERGY

Ammonia Borane Powers Space Exploration

Ammonia Borane is an excellent choice for rocket fuel given its ease of manufacture, availability, and low storage costs. It is also a good additive for jet fuel. Scientists at the University of California Riverside are testing ammonia borane, NH3BH3, as an alternative to traditional carbon-based chemical rocket fuels. This could lead to carbon-free space launches.

Low Carbon Boron Future
DECARBONIZATION

Low Carbon Future with Boron

We live in a world where the environment is constantly going through changes. This is because we are running out of fossil fuels, and all it takes for our society to collapse is one more natural disaster. Therefore, the invention of new materials that facilitate the mission statement of a low carbon future is essential in today's day and age to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels.

decarbonization rio tinto - boron
DECARBONIZATION, MINING

Rio Tinto Decarbonization

Rio Tinto announced a $7.5 billion plan to reduce carbon emissions to 50% by 2030 in October 2021. Rio Tinto stated that it aimed to reduce carbon emissions by half by 2020 as steel and iron ore producers push for compliance with international climate commitments. Rio pushed forward its 2020 target for a 15% reduction of emissions from 2018, five years earlier than it had previously planned.

Boron malnutrition
FOOD SECURITY, Human Health

Managing Malnutrition with Boron

Boron is important in the development of bones, teeth, and other tissues. Boron deficiency can lead to problems like osteoporosis, poor bone density leading to fractures, and malnutrition. Boron is required for strong fetal skeletons in the earliest stages of pregnancy.

Boron - Energy Management
ADVANCED ENERGY, DECARBONIZATION, Energy Management, Industrial emissions

Boron in Energy Conservation

In response to energy conservation demands, energy conservation is a system has for some time been implemented in homes, as well as industrial and commercial sectors. When we talk about energy conservation, boron is the most efficient and naturally occurring chemical.  Energy consumption adversely affects the economy on all levels; high energy costs are an impediment to economic development for any country. A determined effort needs are taken by both private individuals & large businesses alike to reduce their input of "energy" into our global ecosystem - which includes many aspects including economic output (gross domestic product). 

Boron in Coffee
FOOD SECURITY, Human Health

Boron in Coffee

Coffee is one of the most susceptible crops to boron shortage. Boron in coffee is needed for coffee cultivation to improve yield and support healthy growth via cell divisions and cell wall formation in association with calcium, water uptake, roots growth, growth of internodes, setting, calcium uptake, lower aluminum toxicity, and drought resistance.

Boron Fuel - 80k on 1 gram?
ADVANCED ENERGY, APPLICATIONS, Clean Fuels

Boron Fuel

Boron Fuel - While lithium-ion batteries are powering the road ahead for electric vehicles such as the Tesla S and others, several disruptive scientists and entrepreneurs are paving the way for an entirely new form of fuel – Hydrogen Boron fuel. Analysts claim a single gram of Boron could provide enough fuel to allow a vehicle to travel 80,000 kilometres.

Podcast – Boron-based Polymers for EV Storage

Podcast – Boron-based Polymers for EV Storage

In today's podcast, we're going to look at boron-based polymers for EV storage. Boron-based polymers such as BNNTs or boron nitride, nanotubes are two-dimensional nanomaterials with excellent properties for improving electric vehicle energy storage, given their high surface areas, large aspect ratios, and good thermal conductivity.

Advanced Energy – Nissan EV Battery Move

Advanced Energy – Nissan EV Battery Move

Nissan is currently the only automaker with a complete lineup of electric vehicles, including full-electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and zero-emission light commercial vehicles. The company’s goal is to be an industry leader in advanced energy and zero-emission mobility by 2030. As a leader in developing new battery technologies to improve efficiency and power for their lineup of vehicles, use of rare earth metals and near rare earth metals such as boron and lithium is at the heart of the battery power program. But batteries have a limited lifespan. Once it comes to recycling, there is too much waste. Nissan is tackling this problem with Waseda University to produce breakthrough innovations in Electric Vehicles technology.

Boron in Energy Conservation

Boron in Energy Conservation

In response to energy conservation demands, energy conservation is a system has for some time been implemented in homes, as well as industrial and commercial sectors. When we talk about energy conservation, boron is the most efficient and naturally occurring chemical.  Energy consumption adversely affects the economy on all levels; high energy costs are an impediment to economic development for any country. A determined effort needs are taken by both private individuals & large businesses alike to reduce their input of "energy" into our global ecosystem - which includes many aspects including economic output (gross domestic product).