Cellulose acetate, first prepared in 1865, is the acetate ester of cellulose. Cellulose acetate is used as a film base in photography, and as a component in some adhesives; it is also used as a synthetic fiber. General formula of an ester of a carboxylic acid. ... Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a long-chain polymeric polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose. ... Film base is a transparent substrate which acts as a support medium for the photosensitive emulsion that lies atop it. ... Photography is the process of making pictures by means of the action of light. ... An adhesive is a compound that adheres or bonds two items together. ... Synthetic fibers are the result of an extensive search by scientists to increase and improve upon the supply of naturally occurring animal and plant fibers that have been used in making cloth. ...

Film

Cellulose acetate (triacetate) photographic film was introduced in 1934 as a replacement for the unstable and highly flammable cellulose nitrate film stock that had previously been standard. Acetate photographic film deteriorates in the presence of oxygen to an unusable state, releasing acetic acid. This is known as "vinegar syndrome." Acetate film stock is still used in some applications, such as camera negative for motion pictures. Since the 1980s polyester film stock (sometimes referred to under Kodak's trade name "Estar") has become more commonplace, particularly for archival applications. Acetate film was also used as the base for magnetic tape prior to the advent of polyester film. Nitrocellulose (Cellulose nitrate, guncotton) is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose (e. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 15. ... Flash point 43 Â°C R-phrases , S-phrases , , , U.S. Permissible exposure limit (PEL) 10 ppm Supplementary data page Structure & properties n, εr, etc. ... Vinegar syndrome [= VS] is a problem with cellulose triacetate film, in which it degrades and releases a smell resembling that of vinegar. ... MacGyver is one of the symbols of the 1980s in America The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... SEM picture of a bend in a high surface area polyester fiber with a seven-lobed cross section Polyester is a category of polymers, or, more specifically condensation polymers, which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. ... Compact audio cassette Magnetic tape is a non-volatile storage medium consisting of a magnetic coating on a thin plastic strip. ...

Fiber

Cellulose acetate or acetate rayon fiber (1924) is one of the earliest synthetic fibers and is based on cotton or tree pulp cellulose ("biopolymers"). These "cellulosic fibers" have passed their peak as cheap petro-based fibers (nylon and polyester) and have displaced regenerated pulp fibers. Pulp can refer to: Soft shapeless substances in general. ... Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a long-chain polymeric polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose. ... Nylon represents a family of synthetic polymers, a thermoplastic material, invented in 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont. ... SEM picture of a bend in a high surface area polyester fiber with a seven-lobed cross section Polyester is a category of polymers, or, more specifically condensation polymers, which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. ...

It was invented by two Swiss brothers, Doctors Camille and Henri Dreyfus, who originally began chemical research in a shed behind their father's house in Basel, Switzerland. In 1905, Camille and Henri developed a commercial process to manufacture cellulose acetate. The Dreyfus brothers initially focused on cellulose acetate film, which was then widely used in celluloid plastics and film. By 1913, Camille and Henri's studies and experiments had produced excellent laboratory samples of continuous filament acetate yarn. In 1924, the first commercial acetate filament was spun in the United States and trademarked as Celanese. Location within Switzerland Basel (British English traditionally: Basle and more recently Basel , German: Basel , French: Bâle , Italian and Spanish: Basilea ) is Switzerlands third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the conurbation stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerlands... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed. ... Celluloid is the name of a class of compounds created from nitrocellulose and camphor, plus dyes and other agents, generally regarded to be the first thermoplastic. ...

Acetate fiber characteristics

• cellulosic and thermoplastic
• selective absorption and removal of low levels of certain organic chemicals
• easily bonded with plasticizers, heat, and pressure
• acetate is soluble in many common solvents (especially acetone and other organic solvents) and can be modified to be soluble in alternative solvents, including water
• hydrophilic: acetate wets easily, with good liquid transport and excellent absorption; in textile applications, it provides comfort and absorbency, but also loses strength when wet
• acetate fibers are hypoallergenic
• high surface area
• made from a renewable resource: reforested trees.
• can be composted or incinerated
• can be dyed, however special dyes and pigments are required since acetate does not accept dyes ordinarily used for cotton and rayon (this also allows cross-dyeing)
• resistant to mold and mildew
• easily weakened by strong alkaline solutions and strong oxidizing agents.
• can usually be wet cleaned or dry cleaned and generally does not shrink

Major industrial acetate fiber uses

• apparel: blouses, dresses, linings, wedding and party attire, home furnishings, draperies, upholstery and slip covers
• high absorbency products: diapers, feminine hygiene products, cigarette filters, surgical products, and other filters

Production

The Federal Trade Commission definition for acetate fiber is "A manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is cellulose acetate. Where not less than 92 percent of the hydroxyl groups are acetylated, the term triacetate may be used as a generic description of the fiber." FTC headquarters, Washington, D.C. The Federal Trade Commission (or FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act. ... Triacetate also known as cellulose triacetate, is manufactured from cellulose and acetate. ...

Acetate is derived from cellulose by deconstructing wood pulp into a purified fluffy white cellulose. The cellulose is then reacted with acetic acid and acetic anhydride in the presence of sulfuric acid. It is then put through a controlled, partial hydrolysis to remove the sulfate and a sufficient number of acetate groups to give the product the desired properties. The anhydroglucose unit is the fundamental repeating structure of cellulose and has three hydroxyl groups which can react to form acetate esters. The most common form of cellulose acetate fiber has an acetate group on approximately two of every three hydroxyls. This cellulose diacetate is known as secondary acetate, or simply as "acetate". Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a long-chain polymeric polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose. ... Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a long-chain polymeric polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose. ... Flash point 43 Â°C R-phrases , S-phrases , , , U.S. Permissible exposure limit (PEL) 10 ppm Supplementary data page Structure & properties n, εr, etc. ... Acetic anhydride, also known as acetic acid anhydride, is the condensation product of two molecules of acetic acid. ... Sulfuric acid (British English: sulphuric acid), H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid. ... Hydrolysis is a chemical process in which a molecule is split into two parts by the addition of a molecule of water. ... In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate (IUPAC-recommended spelling; also sulphate in British English) is a salt of sulfuric acid. ... Hydroxyl group The term hydroxyl group is used to describe the functional group -OH when it is a substituent in an organic compound. ... General formula of an ester of a carboxylic acid. ...

After it is formed, cellulose acetate is dissolved in acetone into a viscose resin for extrusion through spinnerets (which resemble a shower head). As the filaments emerge, the solvent is evaporated in warm air via dry spinning, producing fine cellulose acetate fibers. R-phrases , , , S-phrases , , , Flash point -20 °C Autoignition temperature 465 °C RTECS number AL31500000 Supplementary data page Structure & properties n, εr, etc. ...

First U.S. Commercial Acetate Fiber Production: 1924, Celanese Corporation

Current U.S. Acetate Fiber Producers: Celanese Acetate, Eastman Chemical Company

See also

• Triacetate
• Textile

Triacetate also known as cellulose triacetate, is manufactured from cellulose and acetate. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Cloth. ...

External links

• Australian National library associations working group on preserving acetate collections
• history and properties