Is molten Boron Trioxide ionic?

[Warpspeed13]

I was wondering if Boron Trioxide was melted would it be ionic in the molten state? Boron is not normally ionic except for in some rather rare salts.

 

[Borek]

IMHO at 500°C its melting point is way too low for an ionic solid.

 

[Warpspeed13]

Nvm I talked with my college chem professor and she said it should act as an ionic substance when liquid.

 

[caters]

500 C is not too low for an ionic solid. Ionic just means that it readily disassociates into ionic monomers when liquid instead of dissolved(Like a single Na+Cl- unit for example). And there are covalent compounds that melt at the same temp as NaCl which is approximately 1472 F or 800 C.

This coordinate compound can be simplified to an ionic compound where the O has a 2- charge and the B has a 3+ charge.

There are some nonmetal - nonmetal ionic bonds. Normally though that requires polyatomic ions for at least 1 of the charges.

Boron however is a metalloid so with no polyatomic ions it can form ionic bonds(one of its metal properties) but can also form quite a few covalently bonded molecules(one of its nonmetal properties).

 

[Borek]

500 C is not too low for an ionic solid. Ionic just means that it readily disassociates into ionic monomers when liquid instead of dissolved(Like a single Na+Cl- unit for example). And there are covalent compounds that melt at the same temp as NaCl which is approximately 1472 F or 800 C.

500°C is quite low. Most ionic solids melt at higher temperatures, NaCl that you have mentioned is one of the examples - despite having only a singly charged ions in the lattice it melts at 800°C.

This coordinate compound can be simplified to an ionic compound where the O has a 2- charge and the B has a 3+ charge.

Al₂O₃ - which consist of Al³⁺ and O^2- - melts at 2072°C. If boron trioxide were ionic it should melt at even higher temperature, as B is smaller than Al and the inter ionic distances in the lattice would be smaller. If it melts at 500°C its ionic character must be negligible.