Nitrocellulose, also known as cellulose nitrate, abbreviated as NC, commonly known as nitrocellulose, is the product of the esterification reaction of cellulose and nitric acid. Nitrocellulose made from cotton fiber is called nitrocotton. Nitrocellulose is a white fibrous polymer that is resistant to water, dilute acid, weak alkali and various oils. Different degrees of polymerization have different strengths, but they are all thermoplastic substances.
Nitrocellulose is a white or slightly yellow cotton-like solid that is odorless and tasteless. Nitrocellulose is widely used in industry and is an important high-energy material.
Application of nitrocellulose
1. Those with high nitrogen content are commonly known as guncotton, which is used to make smokeless gunpowder; those with low nitrogen content are commonly known as rubber cotton, which is used to make spray paint, artificial leather, film, plastic, etc.
2. Used to make cultural and educational supplies, daily necessities, instrument signs, etc.
3. Used in ink, leather, various nitro paints, rubber caps, typing wax paper, etc.
4. Used in the pharmaceutical industry, photographic film, photographic film and leather manufacturing.
Nitrocellulose is widely used as a binder for single-base, double-base, triple-base, modified double-base and composite modified double-base propellants. It is used as a viscosity regulator for making propellants or casting mixed explosives. As a curing cross-linking agent, its main function is to cross-link uncured prepolymers to prevent the plastic flow of propellants. Nitrocellulose with different ammonia content has different names, solubility and uses.