Calcium aluminum borosilicate: properties, uses, pros, cons, safety

Calcium aluminum borosilicate is a chemical compound, a glass component composed of calcium and aluminum borosilicates, a synthetic product obtained by fusing boron oxide, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide and silica. Borosilicate is a material recently used for the production of glass and glassware, light bulbs, X-ray tubes, industrial piping, flat computer screens, mobile phones and more.

Breakdown of its name with function of components.

• Calcium. It's an alkaline earth metal that provides the "calcium" component to the compound. It's often used in various products for its binding and stabilizing properties.
• Aluminum. It's a lightweight and durable metal, often used in formulations for its strength and lightweight properties.
• Borosilicate. It's a type of glass that primarily contains silicon and boron. It's known for its resistance to thermal shock and is often used in cosmetics for its refractive properties, which can give products a shimmering appearance.

The sintering process takes place in different stages:

• Preparation. Raw materials such as sand (silicon dioxide), alumina (aluminium oxide), limestone (calcium carbonate) and borax (boron oxide) are measured and mixed. The exact proportions may vary depending on the desired properties of the final product.
• Melting. The mixture of raw materials is heated at a high temperature in a furnace to fuse them together. This usually takes place at temperatures above 1500 degrees Celsius.
• Cooling.  The molten glass is then cooled to form a solid. This can be done slowly to form large pieces of bulk glass, or the molten glass can be quenched (cooled rapidly) to form glass powders.
• Further processing. Depending on the desired product, the glass can undergo further processing. For example, it can be ground into a fine powder for use in cosmetics, or it can be heated and formed into specific shapes for use in various applications.

What it is used for and where

Calcium aluminum borosilicate is typically found in a solid form. It is often ground into a fine powder for various applications. For example, in the cosmetics industry, it is used as a filler or to add shimmer in products like eyeshadows, lipsticks, and nail polishes. It can also be found in larger, bulk forms depending on its intended use. It is not typically found in a liquid form.

Cosmetics

Bulking agent. It regulates the water content, dilutes other solids, can increase the volume of a product for better flow, acts as a buffer against organic acids, helps to keep the pH of the mixture within a certain level.

Safety

Borosilicate ingredients are inert, insoluble and have limited power to penetrate the skin.

Borosilicate glasses are chemically non-reactive.

Aluminium, if ingested, can interfere with different biological processes (cellular oxidative stress, calcium metabolism, etc.), so it can induce toxic effects in different organs and systems, and the nervous system is the main target of its toxicity. However, the risk of cumulative intake of aluminium, which may pose a danger to human health, cannot be excluded (1).

CAS: 94891-31-3 and 65997-17-3 generics

References________________________________________________________________________

(1) EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS); Younes M, Aggett P, Aguilar F, Crebelli R, Dusemund B, Filipič M, Frutos MJ, Galtier P, Gott D, Gundert-Remy U, Kuhnle GG, Lambré C, Leblanc JC, Lillegaard IT, Moldeus P, Mortensen A, Oskarsson A, Stankovic I, Waalkens-Berendsen I, Wright M, Di Domenico A, van Loveren H, Giarola A, Horvath Z, Lodi F, Tard A, Woutersen RA. Re-evaluation of aluminium sulphates (E 520-523) and sodium aluminium phosphate (E 541) as food additives. EFSA J. 2018 Jul 27;16(7):e05372. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5372.