Sodium borate decahydrate,
Sodium tetraborate decahydrate,
Sodium biborate,
Sodium pyroborate
White powder.
Borax is used in laundry detergents and bleaches. It releases hydrogen peroxide when it reacts with water. Hydrogen peroxide acts as a bleach, and this action is aided by the alkaline solution also produced by the reaction.
Borax is a good buffer, helping to keep the acidity or alkalinity of a solution stable.
The boron (along with the oxygen and salt) in a borax solution helps to disinfect by killing bacteria and fungi.
sodium borate: InChI=1/B4O7.2Na.10H2O/c5-1-9-3(7)11-4(8)10-2-6;;;;;;;;;;;;/h;;;10*1H2/q-2;2*+1;;;;;;;;;;