Nomenclature
CAS number: 9004-34-6
Description and references
(C6H10O5)n. Polysaccharide with the glucose units linked
as in cellobiose. Chief constituent of the fiber of plants; cotton
is the purest natural form, contg about 90%. Rayon is regenerated
cellulose. Books: C. Dorée, The Methods
of Cellulose Chemistry (Chapman & Hall, London, 1947);
T. Lieser, Kurzes Lehrbuch der Cellulosechemie (Gebrüder Borntraeger, Berlin, 1953); S. D. Antonovskii, Chemistry of Wood and Cellulose (Vsesoyuz.
Zaochnyi Lesotekh Instit., Leningrad, 1954); E. Ott et al., Cellulose and Cellulose Derivatives vols. 1-3 (Interscience, New York, 1954, 1955). Reviews: Several authors in Encyclopedia
of Polymer Science and Technology vol. 3, N.
M. Bikales, Ed. (Interscience, New York, 1965) pp 131-539; Shafizadeh, Pure Appl. Chem. 35, 195-208 (1973);
A. F. Turbak et al. in Kirk-Othmer
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology vol. 5 (Wiley-Interscience,
New York, 3rd ed., 1979) pp 70-89. Comprehensive review on constitution,
conformation, size of molecule, fine structure and superstructure:
H. Kr"assig, Papier (Darmstadt) 33, 9-20 (1979). Review of toxicity studies: R. L.
Anderson et al., Cancer Lett. 63, 83-92 (1992).
Properties
White substance. Practically insol in water or
other usual solvents. Dissolved by concd soln of zinc chloride, by
ammoniacal copper hydroxide soln; also by caustic alkali with carbon
disulfide.Derivative
Microcrystalline Form.
Description and references
Prepn and manuf of crystallite cellulosic aggregates:
Battista, Ind. Eng. Chem. 42, 502 (1950); Battista, Smith, US 2978446 (1961 to Am. Viscose); US 3141875 (1964 to FMC).
Properties
Non-fibrous powder. Particle shape: rigid rods.
Refractive index: 1.55. Bulk density: 18-19 lb/cubic foot. Practically insol, but dispersible in water;
practically insol in and resistant to dil acid; practically insol
and inert in organic acids. Partially sol with swelling in dil alkali.Caution
Potential symptoms of overexposure
are irritation of eyes, skin, mucous membranes. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH
97-140, 1997) p 56.Use
Fibrous form is the basic material for the textile
and paper industries. Nitrated it yields nitrocellulose used for
manuf of explosives, collodion, lacquers. Basic material also for
cellulose acetate, cellulose xanthate. Also used in chromatography
and as ion exchange material especially in the form of derivatives
such as
DEAE-cellulose (diethylaminoethyl cellulose) and
ECTEOLA-cellulose,
q.v. Microcrystalline forms
of cellulose are used as combination binder-disintegrants in tableting,
as separatory medium in thin-layer and column chromatography. Colloidal
cellulose particles aid in stabilization and emulsification of liquid
and foam systems. May be used as pure cellulose raw-material. Incorporation
of cellulose crystallite aggregates in foods to reduce caloric content:
Battista,
US 3023104 (1962 to American Viscose); also used in food
industry as stabilizer, thickener, texturizer.