Synthesis of pure potassium pentaborate (KB 5 ) from potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH 2 PO 4 ) and colemanite

In this study, after specifying theoretical reaction conditions required for the chemical reaction, potassium pentaborate (KB 5 ) was synthesized from the potassium dihydrogen phosphate ( KH_2PO_4 ) solution and raw colemanite ( Ca_2B_6O_11· 5H_2O ) ore. The slow evaporation solution method was used at 25 °C. The effect of time (6–18 h) on crystallization was studied. Synthesized minerals were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), RAMAN spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results according to XRD, FT-IR, RAMAN, and SEM analyses proved that the synthesized product was potassium pentaborate ( KB_5O_8· 4H_2O ) mineral with ICSD: 96-026-1927 pdf code. As a result, the cost was reduced by using raw boron ore, colemanite, and KB 5 was obtained in a shorter time and at a lower temperature.