cellulose nitrate

cellulose nitrate

n.

See nitrocellulose.

---

cellulose nitrate

n

(Chemistry / Elements & Compounds) a compound made by treating cellulose with nitric and sulphuric acids, used in plastics, lacquers, and explosives: a nitrogen-containing ester of cellulose Also called (not in chemical usage) nitrocellulose See also guncotton

---

ni•tro•cel•lu•lose (ˌnaɪ trəˈsɛl yəˌloʊs)

n.

any of a group of nitric esters of cellulose, used in the manufacture of lacquers and explosives.

[1880–85]

ni`tro•cel`lu•lo′sic, ni`tro•cel′lu•lous, adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

cellulose nitrate - a nitric acid ester; used in lacquers and explosives guncotton, nitrocellulose, nitrocotton blasting gelatin - mixture of guncotton with nitroglycerin cordite - explosive powder (nitroglycerin and guncotton and petrolatum) dissolved in acetone and dried and extruded in brown cords cellulose ester - any ester of cellulose with an acid pyrocellulose - nitrocellulose containing less nitrogen than guncotton; used in making smokeless powder pyroxylin, pyroxyline - highly flammable nitrocellulose used in making collodion and plastics and lacquers celluloid - highly flammable substance made from cellulose nitrate and camphor; used in e.g. motion-picture and X-ray film; its use has decreased with the development of nonflammable thermoplastics nitrate - any compound containing the nitrate group (such as a salt or ester of nitric acid)