NITROCELLULOSE

Nitrocellulose is used in manufacture of collodions; in lacquer coatings, inks, adhesives.
Nitrocellulose is used as a propellant in artillery ammunition, in small-arms ammunition, in chemical explosives, and in smokeless powder.
Nitrocellulose is also currently utilized in photography, lacquers, patent and natural leathers, artificial pearls, process engraving, and cements.

CAS Number: 9004-70-0 
EC Number: 682-719-5
Molecular formula (approx.): C₆H₇O₂(ONO₂)₃
(sometimes written as C₆H₇N₃O₁₁ per glucose unit)
Molecular weight (approx.): 297 g/mol per anhydroglucose unit

Mononitrocellulose (one nitrate group per glucose unit):
Molecular Formula: (C₆H₉(NO₂)O₅)ₙ
n = number of glucose units in the polymer
Molecular weight (approx.): 207.14 g/mol per glucose unit

Dinitrocellulose (two nitrate groups per glucose unit):
Molecular Formula: (C₆H₈(NO₂)₂O₅)ₙ
Molecular weight (approx.): 236.14 g/mol per glucose unit

Trinitrocellulose (three nitrate groups per glucose unit):
Molecular Formula: (C₆H₇(NO₂)₃O₅)ₙ
Molecular weight (approx.): 265.15 g/mol per glucose unit

SYNONYMS:
Nitrocellulose, 1,4-diphenyl-3-(phenylazanidyl)-1H-1,2,4lambda5-triazol-4-ylium, 618-392-2, 682-719-5, 927-193-2, 933-322-3, 933-629-2, 933-846-2, 936-908-7, CHEBI:53325, Cellulose Nitrate, Cellulose, nitrate, Collodion, DTXSID4047751, Nitrate, Cellulose, Pyroxylin, 9004-70-0, KYR8BR2X6O, Cellulose tetranitrate, BK2-W, BK2-Z, C 2018, CA 80-15, CN 85, Celex, Collodion wool, Colloxylin, Colloxylin VNV, Corial EM finish F, Daicel RS 1, E 1440, FM-Nts, Flexible collodion, Fulmicoton, Guncotton, HX 3/5, Kodak LR 115, LR 115, NTs 218, NTs 222, NTs 539, NTs 542, NTs 62, Nitrocel S, Nitrocellulose E950, Nitrocellulose solution, Nitrocotton, Nitron (Nitrocellulose), Nixon N/C, Parlodion, Piroxilina, Pyroxillin, Pyroxyline, Pyroxylinum, RF 10, RS Nitrocellulose, Soluble gun cotton, Synpor, Tsapolak 964, Xyloidin, Cellulose nitrate, Flash paper, Flash cotton, Flash string, Gun cotton, Collodion, Pyroxylin, Nitrocellulose, Celloidin, Celluloid, Cellulose nitrate, Cellulose tetranitrate, Collodion Collodion cotton, Collodion wool, Colloxylin, Flexible collodion, Guncotton Nitrocellulose, dry, Nitrocellulose soln., Nitrocellulose, wetted, Nitrocotton, Nitron Pyroxylin, Pyroxylin plastic, Pyroxylin rods, Soluble guncotton, Xyloidin, NITROCELLULOSE MEMBRANES 0.45 MICRON 2&, NITROCELLULOSE MEMBRANE 0.45 MICRON*PORE SIZE 7 X 1, NITROCELLULOSE (IMMOBILON-NC HATF,*SURFA CTANT-FREE), CELLULOSE NITRATE, 12 WT. % N, VISCOSITY 800-1,000 SEC (WITH 30% IPA), CELLULOSE NITRATE 11 WT. % N VISCOSIT&, FILTER MEMBRANE, NITROCELLULOSE*PORE SIZ E: 0.45 UM, NITROCELLULOSE MEMBRANE 0.45 MICRON*PORE SIZE 15 X, COLLODION SOLUTION, ~7% IN ETHANOL/

Nitrocellulose (NC), is a product of the nitration reaction of cellulose with nitric acid.
Nitrocellulose's chemical formula is (C6H7N3O11)n, representing an organic polymer.
Nitrocellulose appears as white or slightly yellow cotton-like fibers, with no distinct odor.

Nitrocellulose is soluble in organic solvents such as acetone and benzene but insoluble in water.
Nitrocellulose is characterized by its resistance to dilute acids, water, and weak alkalis, making it widely used in adhesive, ink, explosives, coatings, and medical applications.

Nitrocellulose, block, wet, with not less than 25% alcohol appears as a white solid.
Nitrocellulose is a mixture of the dinitrates and trinitrate of cellulose and ethanol.
Nitrocellulose, solution, flammable appears as a solution of the dinitrates and trinitrate of cellulose in ether, ethanol, or acetone.

Nitrocellulose appears as a white solid.
Nitrocellulose is a mixture of the dinitrates and trinitrate of cellulose.
Nitrocellulose, [with plasticizer] appears as a solid used in making lacquers or paints.

Nitrocellulose (also known as cellulose nitrate, flash paper, flash cotton, guncotton, pyroxylin and flash string, depending on form) is a compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid.
One of Nitrocellulose's first major uses was as guncotton, a replacement for gunpowder as propellant in firearms.

USES and APPLICATIONS of NITROCELLULOSE:
Nitrocellulose is used in manufacture of collodions; in lacquer coatings, inks, adhesives.
Cellulose hexanitrate is used in explosives and propellants.
Celloidin is used for embedding sections in microscopy; in electrotechnics, photography, galvanoplasty.

Nitrocellulose is used as a propellant in artillery ammunition, in small-arms ammunition, in chemical explosives, and in smokeless powder.
Nitrocellulose is made by reacting cotton with nitric acid.
Products using nitrocellulose range from a strong, resistant plastic to an unstable class B (highly flammable, explosive when confined) explosive material.

The major products include smokeless gun powder, waterproof fuses in pyrotechnics, inks, adhesives, varnishes, resins, lacquer coatings, embedding sections in microscopy, photography, and plastics.
Nitrocellulose membranes are used to immobilize DNA, RNA, or protein to probe with a labeled sequence or antibody in experimental laboratory methods such as Western blotting.

Other uses of Nitrocellulose include skin protectants for cosmetics and microfilters.
Nitrocellulose is also currently utilized in photography, lacquers, patent and natural leathers, artificial pearls, process engraving, and cements.

Guncotton dissolved in a 25% acetone solvent can be used for wood finishing, providing deep luster.
Nitrocellulose is one of the best materials to use for low budget special effects, or just to have fun!
This flash cotton can be used in many ways, and all of them are amazing to watch!

Nitrocellulose uses and applications include: Thermoplastic resin; film-former in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, creams; lacquer resin; high explosives; manufacturing of collodions; rocket propellant; printing ink base; binder in flexographic inks; in adhesives; leather finishing; molded products; manufacturing of celluloid; embedding sections in microscopy; in electrotechnics; photography; galvanoplasty; food-contact paperpaperboard; in food packaging adhesives; in food-contact coatings; in cellophane for food.

Other uses of Nitrocellulose: Collodion, a solution of nitrocellulose, is used today in topical skin applications, such as liquid skin and in the application of salicylic acid, the active ingredient in Compound W wart remover. 
The principal uses of Nitrocellulose is for the production of lacquers and coatings, explosives, and celluloid.

In terms of lacquers and coatings, nitrocellulose dissolves readily in organic solvents, which upon evaporation leave a colorless, transparent, flexible film.
Nitrocellulose lacquers have been used as a finish on furniture and musical instruments.

Guncotton, dissolved at about 25% in acetone, forms a lacquer used in preliminary stages of wood finishing to develop a hard finish with a deep lustre.
It is normally the first coat applied, then Nitrocellulose is sanded and followed by other coatings that bond to it.

Nail polish contains nitrocellulose, as it is inexpensive, dries quickly to a hard film, and does not damage skin.
The explosive applications are diverse and nitrate content is typically higher for propellant applications than for coatings.
For space flight, nitrocellulose was used by Copenhagen Suborbitals on several missions as a means of jettisoning components of the rocket/space capsule and deploying recovery systems.

However, after several missions and flights, Nitrocellulose proved not to have the desired explosive properties in a near vacuum environment.
In 2014, the Philae comet lander failed to deploy its harpoons because its 0.3 grams of nitrocellulose propulsion charges failed to fire during the landing.

Back then, nitrocellulose was primarily used for explosives found by Braconnet in France (1832), Schoenbein in Switzerland (1845), and Parkes in the United Kingdom (1855).
After the First World War, nitrocellulose with nitrogen content ranging from 10.5% to 12.2% saw rapid application in the coatings industry, particularly in automotive finishes.

Nitrocellulose became a traditional and effective film-forming material for automotive paints due to its durability, strength, solubility, and rapid release of solvents under external drying conditions.
Nitrocellulose was also used to replace gunpowder as a low-order explosive in mining and other applications.

In the form of collodion, Nitrocellulose was also a critical component in an early photographic emulsion, the use of which revolutionized photography in the 1860s.
In the 20th century, Nitrocellulose was adapted to automobile lacquer and adhesives.

Nitrocellulose is used in automobile lacquers and in various coatings.
A nitrocellulose solution in ether and alcohol.

Collodion has a wide range of uses in industry including applications in the manufacture of photographic film, in fibers, in lacquers, and in engraving and lithography.
In medicine, Nitrocellulose is used as a drug solvent and a wound sealant.

-Laboratory uses of Nitrocellulose:
Membrane filters made of a mesh of nitrocellulose threads with various porosities are used in laboratory procedures for particle retention and cell capture in liquid or gaseous solutions and, reversely, obtaining particle-free filtrates.

A nitrocellulose slide, nitrocellulose membrane, or nitrocellulose paper is a sticky membrane used for immobilizing nucleic acids in southern blots and northern blots.
Nitrocellulose is also used for immobilization of proteins in western blots and atomic force microscopy for its nonspecific affinity for amino acids.

Nitrocellulose is widely used as support in diagnostic tests where antigen-antibody binding occurs; e.g., pregnancy tests, U-albumin tests, and CRP tests.
Glycine and chloride ions make protein transfer more efficient.

Radon tests for alpha track etches use nitrocellulose.
Adolph Noé developed a method of peeling coal balls using nitrocellulose.
Nitrocellulose is used to coat playing cards and to bind staples together in office staplers.

-Hobbies uses of Nitrocellulose:
In 1846, Nitrocellulose was found to be soluble in ether and alcohol.
The solution was named collodion and was soon used as a dressing for wounds.

In 1851, Frederick Scott Archer invented the wet collodion process as a replacement for albumen in early photographic emulsions, binding light-sensitive silver halides to a glass plate.
Magicians' flash paper are sheets of paper consisting of pure nitrocellulose, which burn almost instantly with a bright flash, leaving no ash or smoke.

As a medium for cryptographic one-time pads, they make the disposal of the pad complete, secure, and efficient.
Nitrocellulose lacquer is spin-coated onto aluminium or glass discs, then a groove is cut with a lathe, to make one-off phonograph records, used as masters for pressing or for play in dance clubs.

They are referred to as acetate discs.
Depending on the manufacturing process, nitrocellulose is esterified to varying degrees.

Table tennis balls, guitar picks, and some photographic films have fairly low esterification levels and burn comparatively slowly with some charred residue.
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable ingredient obtained by treating cellulose with nitric acid; used as a film-forming agent in cosmetics and personal care products.

Nitrocellulose, a mixture of nitric esters of cellulose, and a highly flammable compound that is the main ingredient of modern gunpowder and is also employed in certain lacquers and paints.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Nitrocellulose was the basis of the earliest man-made fibres and plastic materials.

HISTORICAL USES of NITROCELLULOSE:
EARLY WORK ON NITRATION OF CELLULOSE
In 1832 Henri Braconnot discovered that nitric acid, when combined with starch or wood fibers, would produce a lightweight combustible explosive material, which he named xyloïdine.

A few years later in 1838, another French chemist, Théophile-Jules Pelouze (teacher of Ascanio Sobrero and Alfred Nobel), treated paper and cardboard in the same way.
Jean-Baptiste Dumas obtained a similar material, which he called nitramidine.

GUNCOTTON
Around 1846 Christian Friedrich Schönbein, a German-Swiss chemist, discovered a more practical formulation.
As he was working in the kitchen of his home in Basel, he spilled a mixture of nitric acid (HNO3) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) on the kitchen table.

He reached for the nearest cloth, a cotton apron, and wiped it up.
He hung the apron on the stove door to dry, and as soon as it was dry, a flash occurred as the apron ignited.
His preparation method was the first to be widely used.

The method was to immerse one part of fine cotton in 15 parts of an equal blend of sulfuric acid and nitric acid.
After two minutes, the cotton was removed and washed in cold water to set the esterification level and to remove all acid residue.

The cotton was then slowly dried at a temperature below 40 °C (104 °F).
Schönbein collaborated with the Frankfurt professor Rudolf Christian Böttger, who had discovered the process independently in the same year.

By coincidence, a third chemist, the Brunswick professor F. J. Otto had also produced guncotton in 1846 and was the first to publish the process, much to the disappointment of Schönbein and Böttger.
The patent rights for the manufacture of guncotton were obtained by John Hall & Son in 1846, and industrial manufacture of the explosive began at a purpose-built factory at Marsh Works in Faversham, Kent, a year later.

The manufacturing process was not properly understood and few safety measures were put in place.
A serious explosion in July that killed almost two dozen workers resulted in the immediate closure of the plant.
Guncotton manufacture ceased for over 15 years until a safer procedure could be developed.

The British chemist Frederick Augustus Abel developed the first safe process for guncotton manufacture, which he patented in 1865.
The washing and drying times of the nitrocellulose were both extended to 48 hours and repeated eight times over.

The acid mixture was changed to two parts sulfuric acid to one part nitric.
Nitration can be controlled by adjusting acid concentrations and reaction temperature.
Nitrocellulose is soluble in a mixture of ethanol and ether until nitrogen concentration exceeds 12%.

Soluble nitrocellulose, or a solution thereof, is sometimes called collodion.
Guncotton containing more than 13% nitrogen (sometimes called insoluble nitrocellulose) was prepared by prolonged exposure to hot, concentrated acids for limited use as a blasting explosive or for warheads of underwater weapons such as naval mines and torpedoes.

Safe and sustained production of guncotton began at the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills in the 1860s, and the material rapidly became the dominant explosive, becoming the standard for military warheads, although it remained too potent to be used as a propellant.

More-stable and slower-burning collodion mixtures were eventually prepared using less concentrated acids at lower temperatures for smokeless powder in firearms.
The first practical smokeless powder made from nitrocellulose, for firearms and artillery ammunition, was invented by French chemist Paul Vieille in 1884.

Jules Verne viewed the development of guncotton with optimism.
He referred to the substance several times in his novels.

His adventurers carried firearms employing this substance.
In his From the Earth to the Moon, guncotton was used to launch a projectile into space.

Because of their fluffy and nearly white appearance, nitrocellulose products are often referred to as cottons, e.g. lacquer cotton, celluloid cotton, and gun cotton.
Guncotton was originally made from cotton (as the source of cellulose) but contemporary methods use highly processed cellulose from wood pulp.

While guncotton is dangerous to store, the hazards it presents can be minimized by storing it dampened with various liquids, such as alcohol.
For this reason, accounts of guncotton usage dating from the early 20th century refer to "wet guncotton."

The power of guncotton made it suitable for blasting.
As a projectile driver, it had around six times the gas generation of an equal volume of black powder and produced less smoke and less heating.

Artillery shells filled with gun cotton were widely used during the American Civil War, and its use was one of the reasons the conflict was seen as the "first modern war."
Fired from breech-loading artillery, such high explosive shells could cause greater damage than previous solid round shot.

During the first World War, British authorities were slow to introduce new grenades, with soldiers at the front improvising by filling ration tin cans with gun cotton, scrap and a basic fuse.

Further research indicated the importance of washing the acidified cotton.
Unwashed nitrocellulose (sometimes called pyrocellulose) may spontaneously ignite and explode at room temperature, as the evaporation of water results in the concentration of unreacted acid.

FILM
In 1855, the first human-made plastic, nitrocellulose (branded Parkesine, patented in 1862), was created by Alexander Parkes from cellulose treated with nitric acid and a solvent.
In 1868, American inventor John Wesley Hyatt developed a plastic material he named Celluloid, improving on Parkes' invention by plasticizing the nitrocellulose with camphor so that it could be processed into a photographic film.

This was used commercially as "celluloid", a highly flammable plastic that until the mid-20th century formed the basis for lacquers and photographic film.
On May 2, 1887, Hannibal Goodwin filed a patent for "a photographic pellicle and process of producing same ... especially in connection with roller cameras", but the patent was not granted until September 13, 1898.

In the meantime, George Eastman had already started production of roll-film using his own process.
Nitrocellulose was used as the first flexible film base, beginning with Eastman Kodak products in August 1889.
Camphor is used as a plasticizer for nitrocellulose film, often called nitrate film.

Goodwin's patent was sold to Ansco, which successfully sued Eastman Kodak for infringement of the patent and was awarded $5,000,000 in 1914 to Goodwin Film.
Nitrocellulose was found to gradually decompose, releasing nitric acid and further catalyzing the decomposition (eventually into a flammable powder).

Decades later, storage at low temperatures was discovered as a means of delaying these reactions indefinitely.
Nitrocellulose film base manufactured by Kodak can be identified by the presence of the word "nitrate" in dark letters along one edge; the word only in clear letters on a dark background indicates derivation from a nitrate base original negative or projection print, but the film in hand itself may be a later print or copy negative, made on safety film.

Acetate film manufactured during the era when nitrate films were still in use was marked "Safety" or "Safety Film" along one edge in dark letters.

8, 9.5, and 16 mm film stocks, intended for amateur and other nontheatrical use, were never manufactured with a nitrate base in the west, but rumors exist of 16 mm nitrate film having been produced in the former Soviet Union and China.
Nitrate dominated the market for professional-use 35 mm motion picture film from the industry's origins to the early 1950s.

While cellulose acetate-based safety film, notably cellulose diacetate and cellulose acetate propionate, was produced in the gauge for small-scale use in niche applications (such as printing advertisements and other short films to enable them to be sent through the mails without the need for fire safety precautions), the early generations of safety film base had two major disadvantages relative to nitrate: it was much more expensive to manufacture, and considerably less durable in repeated projection.

The cost of the safety precautions associated with the use of nitrate was significantly lower than the cost of using any of the safety bases available before 1948.
These drawbacks were eventually overcome with the launch of cellulose triacetate base film by Eastman Kodak in 1948.[48]

Cellulose triacetate superseded nitrate as the film industry's mainstay base very quickly.
While Kodak had discontinued some nitrate film stocks earlier, it stopped producing various nitrate roll films in 1950 and ceased production of nitrate 35 mm motion picture film in 1951.

The crucial advantage cellulose triacetate had over nitrate was that it was no more of a fire risk than paper (the stock is often referred to as "non-flam": this is true—but it is combustible, just not in as volatile or as dangerous a way as nitrate), while it almost matched the cost and durability of nitrate.

It remained in almost exclusive use in all film gauges until the 1980s, when polyester/PET film began to supersede it for intermediate and release printing.
Polyester is much more resistant to polymer degradation than either nitrate or triacetate.

Although triacetate does not decompose in as dangerous a way as nitrate does, it is still subject to a process known as deacetylation, often nicknamed "vinegar syndrome" (due to the acetic acid smell of decomposing film) by archivists, which causes the film to shrink, deform, become brittle and eventually unusable.

PET, like cellulose mononitrate, is less prone to stretching than other available plastics.
By the late 1990s, polyester had almost entirely superseded triacetate for the production of intermediate elements and release prints.

Triacetate remains in use for most camera negative stocks because it can be "invisibly" spliced using solvents during negative assembly, while polyester film is usually spliced using adhesive tape patches, which leave visible marks in the frame area.
However, ultrasonic splicing in the frame line area can be invisible.

Also, polyester film is so strong, it will not break under tension and may cause serious damage to expensive camera or projector mechanisms in the event of a film jam, whereas triacetate film breaks easily, reducing the risk of damage.
Many were opposed to the use of polyester for release prints for this reason, and because ultrasonic splicers are very expensive, beyond the budgets of many smaller theaters.

In practice, though, this has not proved to be as much of a problem as was feared.
Rather, with the increased use of automated long-play systems in cinemas, the greater strength of polyester has been a significant advantage in lessening the risk of a film performance being interrupted by a film break.

HOW TO MAKE NITROCELLULOSE:
In industrial production, nitrocellulose is manufactured through two main processes: batch and continuous.
Batch Production Process:

In the batch production of nitrocellulose, defatted cotton serves as the raw material, undergoing acetification with a mixed acid solution of nitric and sulfuric acids.

The reaction between nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and cellulose is carefully and precisely controlled until the desired degree of nitration is achieved.
Sulfuric acid is used to remove the water formed during the reaction.

The resulting product, known as nitrocellulose, undergoes processes such as acid removal, stabilization, pressurized de-viscosification, dehydration, and is then mixed with a wetting agent (ethanol, isopropanol, or butanol).
The final product typically available in the market contains 70% nitrocellulose and 30% alcohol wetting agent.

Continuous Production Process:
In the continuous production process, cellulose (primarily refined wood pulp) and a mixed nitration acid are continuously and simultaneously conveyed to a container where cellulose nitration takes place.

After nitration, both the nitrated cellulose and the used acid are continuously transported to a centrifuge designed for sectional separation.

Nitrocellulose is intermittently transferred from one section to the next.
In the initial section, most of the nitrated original acid is removed.

In subsequent sections, the acid in nitrocellulose is replaced by weaker acids, and in the final section, it is replaced by water.
The amount of acid replaced and the water used for washing are precisely adjusted to ensure that the concentration of the recovered acid leaving the system closely matches the concentration of the used acid.

WHAT IS NITROCELLULOSE USED FOR?
Nitrocellulose is primarily utilized in various industries, including adhesives, inks, explosives, coatings, and medicine.
In the adhesive sector, nitrocellulose serves as a solvent-based adhesive and finds extensive application in the preparation of engineering plastics.

In the realm of inks, nitrocellulose enhances the rapid drying characteristics of printing inks.
In the explosives field, nitrocellulose's flammability makes it a key component in terminal products such as torpedoes, smokeless explosives, and naval mines.

In the coatings industry, nitrocellulose is employed in the production of cement coatings, decorative coatings, and metal coatings.
In the medical field, nitrocellulose membranes are used to manufacture testing reagents for virus antigen detection.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES of NITROCELLULOSE:
Nitrocellulose can take on various physical forms, from white fibers to thin sheets to thick liquid.
Nitrocellulose can also be a white, yellow, or transparent plastic.

Nitrocellulose's rigidity varies from brittle to flexible.
The unique properties enable nitrocellulose to be used now in a wide variety of products.

The variability in physical properties of Nitrocellulose comes from the content of nitrogen and determines the use.
The molecular weight of nitrocellulose ranges from 459.28 to 594.28, and the molecular formula is expressed as [C6H7O2(ONO2)3]n.

The hydroxyl group of glucose units react to form nitrocellulose chains and membranes.
Nitrocellulose is thus a fibrous solid polymer consisting of the cellulose ester of nitric acid.

Nitrocellulose's specific gravity is 1.66.
Nitrocellulose's form can be a white pulpy, cotton-like, amorphous solid in the dried state, or a colorless liquid to semisolid, depending on the degree of nitration.

Nitrocellulose has low water solubility; however, it is soluble in 25% of a mixture of 1 volume of alcohol and 3 volumes of ether, forming collodion.
Nitrocellulose is also soluble in organic solvents such as methanol, acetone, glacial acetic acid, and amyl acetate.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES of of NITROCELLULOSE:
Nitrocellulose is a pale yellow syrupy liquid
Nitrocellulose is a pulpy, cotton-like solid, or a colorless liquid solution.

PREPARATION of NITROCELLULOSE:
Nitrocellulose is prepared according to the following reaction:
C6H10O5+HNO3-->[-C6H7O2(OH)(ONO2)2-]n

The nitrogen content for plastics is usually about 11%, for lacquers and cement base Nitrocellulose is 12%, and for explosives it is 13%.
The standard plasticizer added is camphor.

Key properties of Nitrocellulose are good dimensional stability, low water absorption, and toughness.
Nitrocellulose's disadvantages are its flammability and lack of stability to heat and sunlight.

COMPOSITION, PROPERTIES, AND MANUFACTURE of NITROCELLULOSE:
Cellulose is a naturally occurring polymer obtained from wood pulp or the short fibres (linters) that adhere to cotton seeds.
Nitrocellulose consists of repeating glucose units that have the chemical formula C6H7O2(OH)3 and the following molecular structure.

MOLECULAR STRUCTURE of NITROCELLULOSE:
In unaltered cellulose the X in the molecular formula represents hydrogen (H), indicating a presence on the cellulose molecule of three hydroxyl (OH) groups.

The OH groups form strong hydrogen bonds between cellulose molecules, with the result that cellulose cannot be softened by heat or dissolved by solvents without causing chemical decomposition.

However, upon treatment with nitric acid in the presence of a sulfuric acid catalyst and water, OH groups are replaced by nitro (NO2) groups.
In theory, all three OH groups can be replaced, resulting in cellulose trinitrate, which contains more than 14 percent nitrogen.

In practice, however, most nitrocellulose compounds are dinitrates, averaging 1.8 to 2.8 nitro groups per molecule and containing from 10.5 to 13.5 percent nitrogen.
The degree of nitration determines the solubility and flammability of the final product.

SUGGESTED STORAGE of NITROCELLULOSE:
Keep Nitrocellulose in well-closed containers; protect from light and moisture

DISCOVERY of NITROCELLULOSE:
Early explosives used nitric acid.
They were so unstable to handle that European scientists tried to find an explosive compound for better safety.

Around 1846, it was discovered that concentrated nitric acid absorbed into cotton was not explosive until dried; thus, guncotton was developed by chemical binding of nitrate to cellulose.

Preventing spontaneous explosions during the manufacturing process required extensive washing and drying of the cotton.
In 1884, a French chemist made smokeless powders from nitrocellulose.
Their more stable and slower burning properties enabled development of firearms and artillery ammunitions.

Eastman Kodak film products used nitrocellulose as early as 1889.
The film was used until 1933 for X-ray films and for motion picture films until 1951.

PRODUCTION of NITROCELLULOSE:
The process uses a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid to convert cellulose into nitrocellulose.
The quality of the cellulose is important.
Hemicellulose, lignin, pentosans, and mineral salts give inferior nitrocelluloses.

In organic chemistry, nitrocellulose is a nitrate ester, not a nitro compound.
The glucose repeat unit (anhydroglucose) within the cellulose chain has three OH groups, each of which can form a nitrate ester.

Thus, nitrocellulose can denote mononitrocellulose, dinitrocellulose, and trinitrocellulose, or a mixture thereof.
With fewer OH groups than the parent cellulose, nitrocelluloses do not aggregate by hydrogen bonding.

The overarching consequence is that the nitrocellulose is soluble in organic solvents such as acetone and esters; e.g., ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, ethyl carbonate.
Most lacquers are prepared from the dinitrate, whereas explosives are mainly the trinitrate.

The chemical equation for the formation of the trinitrate is
3 HNO3 + C6H7(OH)3O2 H2SO4 → C6H7(ONO2)3O2 + 3 H2O.
The yields are about 85%, with losses attributed to complete oxidation of the cellulose to oxalic acid.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CELLULOSE AND NITROCELLULOSE:
Nitrocellulose and cellulose are related compounds, but they differ significantly in their chemical structures and properties due to a specific chemical modification process.

Cellulose:
Natural Polymer: 
Cellulose is a naturally occurring polymer found in the cell walls of plants.
It is a complex carbohydrate made up of glucose units linked together by β-1,4-glycosidic bonds.

Chemical Structure: 
The chemical formula of cellulose is (C6H10O5)n, and it forms long, linear chains.

Properties: 
Cellulose is insoluble in water and many organic solvents.
It is a major component of plant cell walls and provides structural support to plants.
It is not flammable and does not undergo rapid combustion.

Nitrocellulose:
Chemical Modification: 
Nitrocellulose is derived from cellulose through a chemical modification process called nitration, where cellulose reacts with a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid.

Chemical Structure: 
The chemical formula of nitrocellulose is (C6H7N3O11)n, reflecting the addition of nitro groups to the cellulose structure.

Properties: 
Nitrocellulose is highly flammable and can burn rapidly.
Nitrocellulose is soluble in organic solvents such as acetone and ethanol but insoluble in water.

Nitrocellulose is commonly used in explosives, coatings, inks, and medical applications due to its unique properties.
In summary, cellulose is the natural, unmodified polymer found in plants, while nitrocellulose is a modified form of cellulose obtained through the nitration process.

Nitrocellulose is notable for its increased solubility in certain solvents, flammability, and applications in various industrial fields.
Collodion is a pale yellow syrupy liquid with an ether-like odor.

Nitrocellulose floats on water.
Nitrocellulose is immiscible with water.

Boiling point of Nitrocellulose is around 94 °F.
Nitrocellulose membrane filters appears as a membrane filter composed of nitrocellulose.

Ignites easily and burn rapidly with intense heat.
Nitrocellulose with alcohol appears as a white solid mixed with ethanol or another solvent to form a slurry.
A mixture of the dinitrates and trinitrate of cellulose.

Nitrocellulose with water, not less than 25% water appears as a white solid.
Nitrocellulose is a mixture of the dinitrates and trinitrate of cellulose with water.

PHYSICAL and CHEMICAL PROPERTIES of NITROCELLULOSE:
Physical state: Yellowish white cotton-like filaments
CAS Number: 9004-70-0
Chemical Name: Nitrocellulose
Synonyms: H1C; ARHA; H1F2; cn85; h1/2; np11; rf10; bk2-z; c2018; celex
CBNumber: CB6781086
Molecular Formula: C24H36N8O38
Molecular Weight: 1044.57344

MDL Number: MFCD00081525
MOL File: 9004-70-0.mol
Melting point: 100 °C
Boiling point: 83 °C(lit.)
Density: 1.23 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)
Vapor pressure: 576 hPa (20 °C)
Refractive index: 1.6081 (estimate)
Flash point: 53 °F

Storage temp.: 0-6°C
Solubility: esters, ketones, ether-alcohol mixtures (collodion) 
and glycol ethers: soluble
Form: Viscous Liquid
Color: Clear colorless to light yellow
Specific Gravity: 0.765～0.775
pH: 4.0～8.0 (25℃)
Explosive limit: 1.7-36% (v/v)

Biological source: synthetic
Dielectric constant: 6.2 (Ambient)
Stability: Stable
EWG's Food Scores: 1
FDA UNII: KYR8BR2X6O
EPA Substance Registry System: Nitrocellulose (9004-70-0)
Cosmetics Info: Nitrocellulose
UNSPSC Code: 12352401

NACRES: NA.47
Mononitrocellulose Formula: (C6H9(NO2)O5)n
Dinitrocellulose Formula: (C6H8(NO2)2O5)n
Trinitrocellulose Formula: (C6H7(NO2)3O5)n
CAS Number: 9004-70-0 
EC Number: 682-719-5
Molecular formula (approx.): C₆H₇O₂(ONO₂)₃
(sometimes written as C₆H₇N₃O₁₁ per glucose unit)
Molecular weight (approx.): 297 g/mol per anhydroglucose unit

Mononitrocellulose (one nitrate group per glucose unit):
Molecular Formula: (C₆H₉(NO₂)O₅)ₙ
n = number of glucose units in the polymer
Molecular weight (approx.): 207.14 g/mol per glucose unit

Dinitrocellulose (two nitrate groups per glucose unit):
Molecular Formula: (C₆H₈(NO₂)₂O₅)ₙ
Molecular weight (approx.): 236.14 g/mol per glucose unit

Trinitrocellulose (three nitrate groups per glucose unit):
Molecular Formula: (C₆H₇(NO₂)₃O₅)ₙ
Molecular weight (approx.): 265.15 g/mol per glucose unit

FIRST AID MEASURES of NITROCELLULOSE:
-Description of first-aid measures
*General advice:
Show this material safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance.
*If inhaled:
After inhalation: 
Fresh air.
*In case of skin contact: 
Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. 
Rinse skin with
water/ shower.
*In case of eye contact:
After eye contact: 
Rinse out with plenty of water. 
Call in ophthalmologist. 
Remove contact lenses.
*If swallowed:
After swallowing: 
Immediately make victim drink water (two glasses at most). 
Consult a physician.
-Indication of any immediate medical attention and special treatment needed.
No data available

ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES of NITROCELLULOSE:
-Environmental precautions:
Do not let product enter drains.
-Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Cover drains. 
Collect, bind, and pump off spills. 
Observe possible material restrictions. 
Take up dry. 
Dispose of properly. 
Clean up affected area.

FIRE FIGHTING MEASURES of NITROCELLULOSE:
-Extinguishing media:
*Suitable extinguishing media:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 
Foam 
Dry powder
*Unsuitable extinguishing media:
For this substance/mixture no limitations of extinguishing agents are given.
-Further information:
Prevent fire extinguishing water from contaminating surface water or the ground water system.

EXPOSURE CONTROLS/PERSONAL PROTECTION of NITROCELLULOSE:
-Control parameters:
--Ingredients with workplace control parameters:
-Exposure controls:
--Personal protective equipment:
*Eye/face protection:
Use equipment for eye protection. 
Safety glasses
*Body Protection:
protective clothing
*Respiratory protection:
Recommended Filter type: Filter A 
-Control of environmental exposure:
Do not let product enter drains.

HANDLING and STORAGE of NITROCELLULOSE:
-Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
*Storage conditions:
Tightly closed. 
Dry.

STABILITY and REACTIVITY of NITROCELLULOSE:
-Chemical stability:
The product is chemically stable under standard ambient conditions (room temperature).
-Possibility of hazardous reactions:
No data available