Pure boron is produced from the oxide B 2 O 3 by reaction with magnesium followed by chlorination and reduction with hydrogen.
Crystalline boron is transparent, brittle, a non-conductor, and nearly as hard as diamond.
Treating the surface of steel with boron makes it very hard. The boron-10 isotope is used in the control rods of nuclear reactors because it is a strong neutron absorber. Oxford Paperback Encyclopedia 2. Periodic Table Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought 3. A Dictionary of Science, Oxford University Press 5.