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My objective is to form MgB2

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Please tell me: what happens when boric acid reacts with magnesium nitrate? there is any possibility of forming of MgB₂ ?

Thank you.

Anurag Gaur
student - Roorkee, U.P., INDIA

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Not much, the reactants are (probably) already in the most thermodynamically stable combination at room temperature. No, the oxygen will prevent formation of MgB2. If you should heat the reactants to 1100 C, I would expect an oxide mixture plus vapors of nitric acid and water:

Mg(NO₃)₂ + 2 BH₃O₃ = (1/2)[Mg₂B₂O₅ + B₂O₃(liq)] + 2 HNO₃(g) + 2 H₂O(g)

Ken Vlach - Goleta, California

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No chance. The only ways you may succeed in making magnesium boride is to either directly combine the elements at high temperature and in an inert atmosphere (otherwise it will burn and even explode) or to reduce magnesium oxide with a mixture of carbon and boron carbide. I am not even sure that these will work.

Trevor Crichton R&D practical scientist The Pheasantries - Chesham, U.K.

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I suggest it would be more efficient to purchase MgB₂. Try http://www.accumetmaterials.com/Mgb2.htm or do a search for MgB₂.

Rick House
architecture - Pascagoula, MS, US

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Magnesium diboride is interesting due to its superconductivity up to 39 K (highest of any metallic material). The challenge is forming wire from such a brittle material. Northwestern University recently received U.S. Patent 6,630,427 for preparation of an Mg-MgB₂(fiber) composite. The MgB₂ fibers formed in situ by reaction of liquid Mg with boron fibers at 950 C.

Ken Vlach
- Goleta, California