Boric acid — H3BO3, CAS 10043-35-3, also called orthoboric acid — is a white, odourless powder or crystalline granules, soluble in water, glycerine, and alcohols. On a purchase order, though, "boric acid" alone is under-specified: the same chemical is bought in three different grades with three different paperwork trails. Supreme Petro Chemicals stocks all three grades of boric acid — Technical, Pharma (IP/BP/USP), and Agricultural — at our Redhills, Chennai warehouse, from 25 kg bags to 500 kg jumbo bags. This guide covers what each grade is for, which purity number applies where, and what to state on an enquiry.
What Is Boric Acid?
Boric acid is a boron-based inorganic acid — a white, odourless solid supplied as powder or crystalline granules. It dissolves at 5 g/100 mL in water at 20°C and is also soluble in glycerine and alcohols, which is why it appears in water-based, glycerine-based, and alcohol-based formulations alike.
For logistics it is an easy material: not classified as dangerous goods, so it ships as general cargo without dangerous-goods documentation. Kept cool and dry, it carries a 36-month shelf life from manufacture.
The Three Grades We Stock
Technical grade — IS 10116:2015
The industrial workhorse. We stock technical grade manufactured to IS 10116:2015 — the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for boric acid — with a 99.5% minimum assay, sourced from a BIS-licensed Indian manufacturer. Specify this grade for general industrial processing to the IS specification where no pharmacopoeial certificate is required.
Pharma grade — IP / BP / USP
Pharmaceutical formulations need boric acid certified against a pharmacopoeial monograph — IP, BP, or USP — not a generic "pharma grade" label. Its established pharmaceutical duties are ophthalmic preparations and antiseptic formulations. If you are deciding which standard to cite on your material specification, our IP vs BP vs USP grade guide explains the differences and what a GMP-compliant CoA must state.
Agricultural grade
Agricultural grade serves boron micronutrient duty in fertiliser formulations — the same borate duty our borax carries — and is graded separately from the Technical and Pharma grades.
Two purity figures — and why both are correct
Our boric acid paperwork carries two numbers, and they are not a contradiction. The product specification floor across the range is ≥ 99.0% purity — the minimum for any bag we dispatch. The Technical grade certifies tighter, to the IS 10116:2015 assay of 99.5% minimum. One is the floor for the product; the other is what the technical grade actually assays to. Neither number substitutes for the grade name on your order.
Uses by Industry
- Industrial processing: general technical-grade duty to IS 10116:2015 where no pharmacopoeial certificate is required.
- Pharmaceuticals: ophthalmic preparations and antiseptic formulations, supplied against IP/BP/USP monographs.
- Agriculture: boron micronutrient duty in fertiliser formulations, on the agricultural grade.
- General formulation work: wherever a water-, glycerine-, or alcohol-soluble boron source is specified.
Specifications at a Glance
Indicative values for the boric acid we stock — the product page carries the full specification table:
- Appearance: white odourless powder or crystalline granules
- Purity: ≥ 99.0% (product floor); Technical grade 99.5% min assay to IS 10116:2015
- Solubility: 5 g/100 mL in water at 20°C; soluble in glycerine and alcohols
- HSN code: 2810 00 20
- Transport: not regulated — not classified as dangerous goods
- Shelf life: 36 months from manufacture
- Storage: cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from strong bases and oxidisers
- Packaging: 25 kg HDPE bag, 50 kg woven sack, 500 kg jumbo bag
- Lead time: ex-stock to 3 working days
Packaging & Supply
We hold stock at our Redhills, Chennai warehouse in 25 kg HDPE bags, 50 kg woven sacks, and 500 kg jumbo bags, and dispatch across South India — ex-stock to 3 working days. State the grade (Technical IS 10116:2015, Pharma IP/BP/USP, or Agricultural), quantity, and packaging preference on the enquiry so the quote lands right the first time.
FAQ
What is the CAS number and HSN code for boric acid?
CAS 10043-35-3; HSN code 2810 00 20 in Indian trade. Quote both on purchase orders alongside the grade to avoid ambiguity.
Is boric acid the same as borax?
No. Boric acid is H3BO3. Borax is sodium tetraborate decahydrate — Na2B4O7·10H2O, CAS 1303-96-4 — a granular borate powder used in detergent formulations, glass and ceramic fluxes, and metallurgical fluxes. Both are borates and both supply boron, but they are different compounds and not interchangeable in a formulation. We stock both in 25 kg bags.
Is boric acid a dangerous good for transport?
No. It is not regulated for transport and not classified as dangerous goods, so it moves as general cargo. Store it in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from strong bases and oxidisers; shelf life is 36 months from manufacture.
Which boric acid grade should I specify?
Technical (IS 10116:2015) for general industrial processing. Pharma with the exact pharmacopoeial standard — IP, BP, or USP — and edition for pharmaceutical formulations. Agricultural for boron micronutrient duty. If the requirement is pharmaceutical, name the monograph on the enquiry, not just "pharma grade".
Source Boric Acid in Chennai
For Technical, Pharma (IP/BP/USP), or Agricultural grade boric acid, contact Supreme Petro Chemicals or WhatsApp an enquiry. Share the grade, quantity, packaging preference, and any CoA requirements — we dispatch from our Redhills, Chennai warehouse across South India, ex-stock to 3 working days.