▁is ▁a ▁brown ▁pow der ; ▁cry st all ine ▁bor on ▁is ▁sil very ▁to ▁black , ▁extremely ▁hard ▁( about ▁ 9 . 5 ▁on ▁the ▁Moh s ▁scale ), ▁and ▁a ▁poor ▁elect rical ▁conduct or ▁at ▁room ▁temperature . ▁The ▁primary ▁use ▁of ▁element al ▁bor on ▁is ▁as ▁bor on ▁fil aments ▁with ▁applications ▁similar ▁to ▁carbon ▁fib ers ▁in ▁some ▁high - str ength ▁materials . ▁ ▁Bor on ▁is ▁primarily ▁used ▁in ▁chemical ▁comp ounds . ▁About ▁half ▁of ▁all ▁bor on ▁consum ed ▁glob ally ▁is ▁an ▁add itive ▁in ▁fi berg lass ▁for ▁ins ulation ▁and ▁struct ural ▁materials . ▁The ▁next ▁leading ▁use ▁is ▁in ▁polym ers ▁and ▁cer am ics ▁in ▁high - str ength , ▁light weight ▁struct ural ▁and ▁ref ract ory ▁materials . ▁Bor os il icate ▁glass ▁is ▁desired ▁for ▁its ▁greater ▁strength ▁and ▁thermal ▁shock ▁resistance ▁than ▁ordinary ▁s oda ▁l ime ▁glass . ▁Bor on ▁as ▁sod ium ▁per bor ate ▁is ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁ble ach . ▁A ▁small ▁amount ▁of ▁bor on ▁is ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁dop ant ▁in ▁sem icon duct ors , ▁and ▁re agent ▁inter medi ates ▁in ▁the ▁synth esis ▁of ▁organ ic ▁fine ▁chemical s . ▁A ▁few ▁bor on - cont aining ▁organ ic ▁ph arma ce ut ical s ▁are ▁used ▁or ▁are ▁in ▁study . ▁Natural ▁bor on ▁is ▁composed ▁of ▁two ▁stable ▁is ot op es , ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁( bor on - 1