Nitrocellulose facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nitrocellulose |
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| Other names | Cellulose nitrate; Flash paper; Flash cotton; Flash string; Gun cotton; Collodion; Pyroxylin |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | |
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | (C6H9(NO2)O5)n (C6H8(NO2)2O5)n (C6H7(NO2)3O5)n |
| Appearance | Yellowish white cotton-like filaments |
| Melting point |
160 to 170 °C, Expression error: Unrecognized word "to". K, Expression error: Unrecognized word "to". °F |
| Hazards | |
| NFPA 704 |
3
2
3
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| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) | |
Nitrocellulose (also: cellulose nitrate, flash paper) catches fire quickly. It is formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton. Nitrocellulose can be plasticized by camphor. Kodak, and other suppliers, used placticized nitrocellulose as a film base in photograph, X-ray films and motion picture films. People call this nitrate film. After numerous fires caused by unstable nitrate films, safety film started to be used from the 1930s in the case of X-ray stock and from 1948 for motion picture film.
Images for kids
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Pure nitrocellulose
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Jam tin grenades were made in World War I using gun cotton
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Nitrocellulose film on a light box, showing deterioration, from Library and Archives Canada collection
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Lubin film vault custodian Stanley Lowry (foreground) surveys the rubble after fire and explosions, June 1914.
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Decayed nitrate film, EYE Film Institute Netherlands
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Table tennis ball, prepared from nitrocellulose (Celluloid)
See also
In Spanish: Nitrato de celulosa para niños
