nitrocellulose

(-selyo̵̅o̅ lōs′)

noun

any ester of nitric acid and cellulose; esp., a pulplike substance produced by the action of nitric acid upon wood, cotton, etc. in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid: used in making smokeless explosives, plastics, lacquers, etc.

Related Forms:

See nitrocellulose in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
A pulpy or cottonlike polymer derived from cellulose treated with sulfuric and nitric acids and used in the manufacture of explosives, collodion, plastics, and solid monopropellants. Also called guncotton, cellulose nitrate.

Related Forms:

  • niˌtro·celˌlu·losˈic (-lōˈsĭk, -zĭk) adjective

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