guncotton

Thân thiện

A chemist carefully handles a small sample of guncotton in the laboratory.

Definition

Noun: A highly flammable nitrocellulose compound, produced by treating cellulose with nitric and sulfuric acids. It is a type of low-order explosive, historically used in propellants and certain lacquers.

Usage

"Guncotton" is a technical term used primarily in historical, industrial, and chemical contexts to describe a specific explosive material. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

Examples

• The 19th-century discovery of guncotton revolutionized ballistic propellants.
• The factory produced guncotton for use in naval mines.
• Early photographic film was made from a form of guncotton, which posed a significant fire hazard.

Advanced Usage

• Chemical Composition: Guncotton is cellulose nitrate with a high nitrogen content (typically above 13%), which distinguishes it from the lower-nitrate forms used in lacquers and early plastics (like celluloid).

Variants and Related Words

• Nitrocellulose (n): The broader chemical term for the family of compounds produced by nitrating cellulose; guncotton is a specific, highly nitrated form.
• Cellulose nitrate (n): A synonymous technical term.
• Pyroxylin (n): A term often used for lower-nitrated, soluble forms of nitrocellulose used in lacquers and coatings, not typically for explosives.

Synonyms

• Nitrocellulose (in its highly nitrated form)
• Cellulose nitrate

Notes on Meaning

While "guncotton" specifically refers to the explosive form, the related term "nitrocellulose" has a wider range of applications, including non-explosive uses in inks, lacquers, and as a film base.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a nitric acid ester; used in lacquers and explosives

Từ đồng nghĩa

• cellulose nitrate
• nitrocellulose
• nitrocotton