View source for Cellulose acetate

{{short description|Organic compounds which are acetate esters of cellulose}}
{{missing information|article|distinction between diacetate and triacetate in lead section and uses|date=December 2020}}
[[File:Cellulose acetate.svg|thumb|300px|Structural formula of cellulose diacetate. The chemical formula shows a section of cellulose with two [[acetyl group]]s per [[glucose]] module.]]

In [[biochemistry]], '''cellulose acetate''' refers to any [[acetate]] [[ester]] of [[cellulose]], usually [[cellulose diacetate]]. It was first prepared in 1865.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Action de l'acide acétique anhydre sur la cellulose, l'amidon, les sucres, la mannite et ses congénères, les glucosides et certaines matières colorantes végétales|journal=Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l'Académie des sciences|date=1865|first1=Paul|last1=Schützenberger|url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?lookup=0&q=Sch%C3%BCtzenberger,+P.,+Action+de+l%E2%80%99Acide+Ac%C3%A9tique+Anhydre+sur+la+Cellulose,+l%E2%80%99Amidon,+les+Sucres,+la+Mannite,+et+ses+Cong%C3%A9n%C3%A8res,+les+Glucosides+et+Certaines+Mati%C3%A8res+Colorantes+V%C3%A9g%C3%A9tales,+Compt.+Rendus,+61,+485-486,+1865e.&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5|access-date=|lang=fr-FR}}</ref>{{verify source|date=June 2024}} A [[bioplastic]], cellulose acetate is used as a [[film base]] in [[photography]], as a component in some [[coating]]s, and as a frame material for [[eyeglasses]];<ref name="allaboutvision.com"/> it is also used as a [[synthetic fiber]] in the manufacture of [[Cigarette filter|cigarette filters]] and [[Playing card|playing cards]]. In [[cellulose acetate film|photographic film]], [[cellulose acetate film]] replaced [[nitrate film]] in the 1950s, being far less flammable and cheaper to produce.

Water-soluble cellulose acetate (WSCA) has been used as a [[Prebiotic (nutrition)|dietary fiber (prebiotic)]], in relation with weight loss and [[Akkermansia muciniphila]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Takeuchi |first1=Tadashi |last2=Miyauchi |first2=Eiji |last3=Nakanishi |first3=Yumiko |last4=Ito |first4=Yusuke |last5=Kato |first5=Tamotsu |last6=Yaguchi |first6=Katsuki |last7=Kawasumi |first7=Masami |last8=Tachibana |first8=Naoko |last9=Ito |first9=Ayumi |last10=Shimamoto |first10=Shu |last11=Matsuyama |first11=Akinobu |last12=Sasaki |first12=Nobuo |last13=Kimura |first13=Ikuo |last14=Ohno |first14=Hiroshi |date=2025-05-14 |title=Acetylated cellulose suppresses body mass gain through gut commensals consuming host-accessible carbohydrates |journal=Cell Metabolism |pages=S1550–4131(25)00223–2 |doi=10.1016/j.cmet.2025.04.013 |issn=1932-7420 |pmid=40381616|doi-access=free }}</ref>

==History==
In 1865, French chemist [[Paul Schützenberger]] discovered that cellulose reacts with [[acetic anhydride]] to form cellulose acetate. The German chemists [[Arthur Eichengrün]] and [[Theodore Becker]] invented the first soluble forms of cellulose acetate in 1903.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kwA3AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA288|title=Chemical Age|last1=Meade|first1=Richard Kidder|last2=McCormack|first2=Harry|last3=Clark|first3=Laurance T.|last4=Sclater|first4=Alexander G.|last5=Lamborn|first5=Lloyd|publisher=McCready Publishing Company|year=1905|volume=3}}</ref>

In 1904, [[Camille Dreyfus (chemist)|Camille Dreyfus]] and his younger brother [[Henri Dreyfus|Henri]] performed chemical research and development on cellulose acetate in a shed in their father's garden in [[Basel]], Switzerland, which was then a center of the [[dye]] industry. For five years, the Dreyfus brothers studied and experimented in a systematic manner in Switzerland and France. By 1910, they were producing film for the [[Motion Picture Industry|motion picture industry]], and a small but constantly growing amount of acetate lacquer, called "[[aircraft dope|dope]]", was sold to the expanding aircraft industry to coat the fabric covering wings and [[fuselage]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ISBN0812282051|title=The American Synthetic Rubber Research Program|last=Morris|first=Peter John Turnbull|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|year=1989|isbn=978-0-8122-8207-8|pages=258}}</ref>

In 1913, after some twenty thousand separate experiments, they produced excellent [[laboratory]] samples of continuous filament yarn, something that had eluded the cellulose acetate industry to this time.<ref name=":0" /> Unfortunately, the outbreak of [[World War I]] postponed commercial development of this process.

In November 1914, the British Government invited Camille Dreyfus to come to England to manufacture acetate dope, and the "British Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Co" was set up. In 1917, after the United States had entered the war, the [[U.S. War Department]] invited Dreyfus to establish a similar factory in the U.S. Both operations were run successfully throughout the war.

After the war, attention returned to the production of acetate fibers. The first yarn was of fair quality, but sales resistance was heavy, and [[silk]] associates worked zealously to discredit acetate and discourage its use. However, the [[thermoplastic]] nature of acetate made it an excellent fiber for [[Moire (fabric)|moiré]] because the pattern was permanent and did not wash away. The same characteristic also made permanent [[pleating]] a commercial fact for the first time, and gave great style impetus to the whole dress industry.<ref name=":0" />

The mixing of silk and acetate in fabrics was accomplished at the beginning, and almost at once cotton was also blended, thus making possible low-cost fabrics by means of a fiber which then was cheaper than silk or acetate. Today, acetate is blended with silk, [[cotton]], [[wool]], [[nylon]], etc. to give fabrics excellent wrinkle recovery, good heft, handle, draping quality, quick drying, proper dimensional stability, cross-dye pattern potential, at a very competitive price.<ref name=":0" />

== Types ==
There are types of cellulose acetate with mixed‐ester derivatives.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/14356007 |title=Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry |date=2000-06-15 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-3-527-30385-4 |edition=1 |language=en |doi=10.1002/14356007}}</ref> 

* [[Cellulose acetate butyrate|Cellulose Acetate Butyrate]] 
* Cellulose Acetate Propionate 

==Chemical and physical properties==
The density of Cellulose acetate is between 1.26 - 1.31 g/cc<ref>{{cite web | url=https://matweb.com/search/DataSheet.aspx?MatGUID=dc5eaaf98a96498889cb7292165523a8&ckck=1 | title=MatWeb - the Online Materials Information Resource }}</ref>

==Use as a fiber==
Cellulose acetate fiber, one of the earliest synthetic fibers, is based on cotton or tree [[Wood pulp|pulp]] [[cellulose]] ("[[biopolymer]]s"). These "cellulosic fibers" have been replaced in many applications by cheaper petro-based fibers ([[nylon]] and [[polyester]]) in recent decades.<ref name="NYFashion">[http://www.nyfashioncenterfabrics.com/acetate-fabric-and-viscose-fabrics.html Fabric Information: Acetate & Viscose], NY Fashion Center Fabrics. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826040832/http://www.nyfashioncenterfabrics.com/acetate-fabric-and-viscose-fabrics.html |date=August 26, 2013 }}</ref>

Trade names for acetate include Acele, Avisco, Celanese, Chromspun, and Estron.<ref>[http://www.interiordezine.com/index.cfm/Interior_Design_Finishes/Fibres__artificial_ trade names] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028185714/http://www.interiordezine.com/index.cfm/Interior_Design_Finishes/Fibres__artificial_ |date=October 28, 2008 }}</ref>

Acetate shares many similarities with [[rayon]], and was formerly considered as the same textile. Acetate differs from rayon in the employment of [[acetic acid]] in production. The two fabrics are now required to be listed distinctly on garment labels.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1893&dat=19520212&id=MsgiAAAAIBAJ&pg=4809,4203421|title=Rayon and Acetate Fabrics to be Separately Labelled in Future|date=February 12, 1952|newspaper=[[The Southeast Missourian]]|access-date=December 25, 2013}}</ref>

Rayon resists heat while acetate is prone to melting. Acetate must be laundered with care either by hand-washing or dry cleaning. <ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/rayon-acetate-synthetics-menswear/|title=Synthetic Fabrics in Menswear – Rayon and Acetate|date=2010-09-20|website=Real Men Real Style|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105094921/http://www.realmenrealstyle.com/rayon-acetate-synthetics-menswear/|archive-date=November 5, 2012|url-status=live |last1=Centeno |first1=Antonio }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fabriclink.com/university/acetate.cfm|title=Fiber Characteristics {{!}} Acetate|website=Fabric Link|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925164412/http://www.fabriclink.com/university/acetate.cfm|archive-date=September 25, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The breathable nature of the fabric suits it for use as a lining. Acetate fabric is used frequently in [[wedding gowns]] and other bridal attire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.weddingshoppeinc.com/BridalTerm.aspx?ID=376|title=Acetate Fabric|website=Wedding Shoppe, Inc.}}</ref> Its lustrous sheen and smooth, satiny texture make it a good alternative to silk.<ref name=":1" />

===Properties===
{{Prose|section|date=June 2020}}
Acetate is a low cost, manufactured fiber, which has good draping qualities{{attribution needed|date=June 2015}}. Acetate is used in fabrics such as [[satin]]s, [[brocade]]s, knit fabrics, and [[taffeta]]s to accentuate luster, body, drape, and beauty.

*Hand: soft, smooth, dry, crisp, resilient
*Comfort: breathes, wicks, dries quickly, no static cling
*Drape: linings move with the body linings conform to the garment
*Color: deep brilliant shades with atmospheric dyeing meet colorfastness requirements
*Luster: light reflection creates a signature appearance
*Performance: colorfast to perspiration staining, colorfast to dry cleaning, air and vapor permeable
*Tenacity: weak fiber with breaking tenacity of 1.2 to 1.4 g/d; rapidly loses strength when wet 
*Abrasion: poor resistance
*Heat retention: poor thermal retention; no allergenic potential (hypoallergenic)
*Dyeability: (two methods) cross-dying method where yarns of one fiber and those of another fiber are woven into a fabric in a desired pattern; solution-dying method provides excellent color fastness under the effects of sunlight, perspiration, air contaminants and washing<ref name = "allaboutvision.com"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.swicofil.com/products/204acetate.html|title=Acetate|website=Swicofil|access-date=October 10, 2011}}</ref>

===Characteristics===
{{Prose|section|date=June 2020}}
* [[cellulosic]] and [[thermoplastic]]
* selective [[absorption (chemistry)|absorption]] and removal of low levels of certain organic chemicals
* easily bonded with [[plasticizer]]s, heat, and pressure
* acetate is [[solubility|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 [[wood pulp]], a renewable resource
* can be [[composted]] or incinerated
* can be [[dyeing|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 agent]]s
* can usually be washed or [[dry clean]]ed; generally does not shrink

=== Confusion with ''cellulose triacetate'' ===
[[Cellulose diacetate]] and [[cellulose triacetate]] are mistakenly referred to as the same fiber; although they are similar, their chemical identities differ. Triacetate is known as a generic description or primary acetate containing no hydroxyl group. Acetate fiber is known as modified or secondary acetate having two or more hydroxyl groups. Triacetate fibers, although no longer produced in the United States, contain a higher ratio of acetate-to-cellulose than do acetate fibers.<ref name="allaboutvision.com"/>

==Film==
[[Cellulose acetate film]], made from [[cellulose diacetate]] and later [[cellulose triacetate]], was introduced in 1934 as a replacement for the [[cellulose nitrate]] film stock that had previously been standard. When exposed to heat or moisture, acids in the film base begin to deteriorate to an unusable state, releasing [[acetic acid]] with a characteristic vinegary smell, causing the process to be known as "[[vinegar syndrome]]". Acetate film stock is still used in some applications, such as [[Negative (photography)|camera negative]] for motion pictures. Since the 1980s, [[PET film (biaxially oriented)|polyester film stock]] (sometimes referred to under [[Kodak]]'s trade name "ESTAR Base") 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.

==Magnetic tape==
Cellulose acetate [[magnetic tape]] was introduced by [[IBM]] in 1952 for use on their [[IBM 726]] tape drive in the [[IBM 701]] computer. It was much lighter and easier to handle than the metal tape introduced by [[UNIVAC]] in 1951 for use on their [[UNISERVO]] tape drive in the [[UNIVAC I]] computer. In 1956, cellulose acetate magnetic tape was replaced by the more stable [[PET film (biaxially oriented)|PET film]] magnetic tape for use on their [[IBM 727]] tape drive.

==Other products==
<!-- {{Prose|section|date=June 2020}} (Section commented out for comparison and/or easy reversion if needed. -Xterra)
* Apparel: buttons, linings, blouses, dresses, wedding and party attire, home furnishings, draperies, upholstery and slip covers.
* [[Glasses#Frames|Eyeglass frames]] are commonly made with cellulose acetate.
* Industrial uses: [[cigarette filter]]s and other filters, ink reservoirs for [[fiber tip pen]]s.
* High absorbency products: [[diaper]]s and medical aid products.
* The original [[Lego]] bricks were manufactured from cellulose acetate from 1949 to 1963.
* Award Ribbon: Rosettes for equestrian events, dog/cat shows, corporate awards, advertising and identification products all use cellulose acetate ribbon.
* Playing cards may be made of cellulose acetate. 
* Toys
* [[Transparency_(projection)|Transparencies]] for overhead projection
* Certain pens, such as Pelikan <ref>https://www.fahrneyspens.com/Item--i-363276S {{Bare URL inline|date=July 2025}}</ref><ref>https://thepelikansperch.com/2022/03/05/pelikan-eliminates-souveran-ink-view/ {{Bare URL inline|date=July 2025}}</ref> -->
Due to its material properties that have it usable as a fabric, fiber or plastic, cellulose acetate is used to manufacture multiple products; for example, in the world of fabrics, acetate is utilized to make dresses, blouses, party attire, award ribbons, buttons, home furnishings, draperies and upholstery, among other uses. Plastic [[Glasses#Frames|eyeglass frames]] are also frequently manufactured of acetates, as are absorbent products like diapers, ink reservoirs and [[cigarette filter]]s. [[LEGO]] bricks were originally manufactured of acetate from 1949 to 1963, as are some brands of high-end playing cards, such as [[United States Playing Card Company|Kem]] and [[Modiano (company)|Modiano]] Platinum. Lastly, [[Transparency_(projection)|overhead-projection transparencies]] are frequently produced on acetate sheets.

==Production==
[[File:Cellulose acetate preparation.png|thumb|Cellulose acetate preparation]]
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 [[cellulose triacetate|triacetate]] may be used as a generic description of the fiber."

Acetate is derived from [[cellulose]] by initially deconstructing wood pulp into a purified fluffy white cellulose. To manufacture a good product, special qualities of pulps, such as dissolving pulps, are used. The uneven reactivity of cellulose presents a common problem affecting the quality of the cellulose acetate product. The cellulose is reacted with [[acetic acid]] and [[acetic anhydride]] in the presence of [[sulfuric acid]]. It is subjected to 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 [[ester]]s. 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".

After it is formed, cellulose acetate is dissolved in [[acetone]], forming a viscous solution 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.

The first U.S. commercial acetate fiber was produced by the Celanese Corporation in 1924. Current U.S. acetate fiber producers are [[Celanese]], and [[Eastman Chemical Company]].

===Method===
To this day, no process for the direct production of cellulose acetates has been discovered. As attempts to produce a partial esterification of cellulose result only in a mixture of non-acetylated and fully acetylated cellulose, a two-step synthesis is applied: Cellulose is always completely converted first to cellulose triacetate and then by hydrolysis into cellulose acetates with low degrees of esterification.

Purified cellulose from wood pulp or cotton linters is mixed with glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and a catalyst. The mixture is aged 20 hours during which partial hydrolysis occurs and acid resin precipitates as flakes. These are dissolved in acetone and the solution is purified by filtering. The solution is extruded by spinning in a column of warm air. Solvent is recovered. Filaments are stretched and wound onto beams, cones, or bobbins ready for use. Filaments are finally spun into fiber.

The production is divided into the following process stages:<ref>Menachem Lewin (Hrsg.): ''Handbook of Fiber Chemistry''. Third Edition. Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton 2007, {{ISBN|0-8247-2565-4}}, S. 778–784.</ref><ref>Ludwig Bottenbruch (Hrsg.): ''Kunststoff-Handbuch 3/1 – Technische Thermoplaste: Polycarbonate, Polyacetate, Polyester, Celluloseester''. Carl Hanser Verlag, München/Wien 1992. {{ISBN|3-446-16368-9}}, S. 404–408</ref><ref>Zakhar Aleksandrovič Rogowin: ''Chemiefasern: Chemie – Technologie''. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart / New York 1982, {{ISBN|3-13-609501-4}}, S. 182–186.</ref>
*''Mechanical conditioning of the pulp'': The pulp, which is usually provided as roll or sheet pulp, is fibrillated by means of different types of shredders, such as [[Hammermill|hammermills]] and disk refiners, whereby the successive arrangement of both types of shredder ensures optimum dissolving.
*''Chemical pre-treatment'': The fibrillated cellulose is treated with acetic acid (if necessary with the addition of small quantities of sulphuric acid) with moderate stirring at 25 °C to 50 °C for about 1 h, resulting in continuous evaporation and condensation of the acetic acid in the spaces between the fibre particles. This causes the cellulose particles to swell, which facilitates the diffusion of the solvent particles into these particles during the following process stage. In addition to this acetic acid vapour pretreatment, there is also a pretreatment in a thin-pulp state. In this process, the cellulose is introduced into large quantities of water or diluted acetic acid and intensively stirred. Subsequent process steps such as pressing or centrifuging constantly increase the concentration of cellulose in the pulp. At the same time, acetic acid is added in ever higher concentrations. The advantage of this process is the saving of shredding, as the cellulose layers can be added directly into the stirred tank.
*''Acetylating the cellulose'': In the commercial production of cellulose acetates, the ''acetic acid process'' or the ''methylene chloride process'' are usually used for acetylation. In acetic acid processes, the pre-treated cellulose mass is reacted in an acetylation mixture of the solvent acetic acid with an excess of acetic anhydride, which serves as an esterification agent, and with sulphuric acid as a catalyst under vigorous mechanical mixing. The reaction is highly exothermic and therefore intensive cooling of the reaction vessels is required. The esterification process is terminated by adding water when a highly viscous clear reaction mixture has formed from the fibrous pulp. This solution must be gel-free and have the desired viscosity. In the methylene chloride process, methylene chloride is used in the acetylation mixture as a solvent instead of acetic acid. Since the low-boiling methylene chloride can be easily removed by distillation, process control is achieved even with highly viscous solutions. Even at low temperatures it can dissolve cellulose triacetate very well. A small amount of sulfuric acid can be used as a catalyst, but often also perchloric acid. However, acetic acid is usually also formed as a by-product of the reaction, so that the solvent is ultimately a mixture of methylene chloride, acetic anhydride and acetic acid. A very rare heterogeneous process is the fiber acetate process, which is only used for the production of cellulose triacetate as an end product. In this process, the cellulose is suspended in a non-solvent (such as [[benzene]]) and esterified with acetic anhydride in the presence of perchloric acid as catalyst.
*''Partial hydrolysis'': The desired secondary cellulose acetate types are obtained from cellulose triacetate by hydrolysis. For this purpose, the triacetate solution is heated to usually 60 to 80 °C in the presence of an acid catalyst (usually sulfuric acid) by adding water upon stirring and heating. The hydrolysis is controlled by the concentration of the sulfuric acid, the amount of water and the temperature in such a way that the desired molecular degradation ([[chain scission]]) is achieved. The hydrolysis process is then stopped by adding basic salts (e.g. [[Sodium acetate|sodium]] or [[magnesium acetate]]) which neutralize the acid catalyst.
* ''Precipitation of the cellulose acetate'': When precipitating cellulose acetate from the reaction solution using dilute acetic acid, it is important to obtain uniform and easily washable cellulose acetate flakes. Before precipitation, any methylene chloride present must be completely distilled off. The acetic acid is then recovered.
*''Washing and drying'': By intensive washing, which is usually done in countercurrent, the acetic acid must be removed from the flakes down to the smallest traces, otherwise damage ("[[charring]]") will occur during the drying process. After the washing liquid has been pressed off, the flakes are dried on a conveyor belt dryer through which hot air flows to a residual moisture content of approx. 2-5%. For the subsequent production of very high-quality, thermally stable, brightly colored and color-stable thermoplastic molding compounds, the cellulose acetate flakes are also bleached and stabilized in additional process steps (to minimize thermal degradation and discoloration) before final drying. 
*''Mixing of the flakes'': The final steps are similar to the processing of other plastics: Before the cellulose acetate flakes are transported to a collection container from where they are transported to the appropriate processing plants, the flakes are mixed in a precisely controlled manner. This is to compensate for deviations of the cellulose acetates from different production batches. For many further processing steps the flakes are usually ground into fine powders beforehand. In order to be able to use the cellulose acetate in plastics processing methods such as injection moulding, the powder must also be mixed with suitable plasticisers and other additives, such as functional additives for thermal, weathering, UV and IR stabilisation.<ref>Hans Domininghaus (Hrsg.): ''Die Kunststoffe und ihre Eigenschaften''. 6., neu bearbeitete und erweiterte Auflage, Springer-Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg 2005, {{ISBN|3-540-21410-0}}, S. 1461</ref> The mixtures can be adapted to the corresponding subsequent processing requirements. From the compound produced by melting, granules are produced which can be delivered to the plastics processors.

==Disposal and degradation==
The global production of CA materials was over {{convert|800000|t}} per year in 2008. While it was initially believed that CA was virtually non-[[biodegradable]], it has been shown that after initial partial deacetylation, the polymer's cellulose backbone is readily biodegraded by [[cellulase]] enzymes. In biologically highly active [[soil]], CA fibers are completely destroyed after 4–9 months. Photodegradation is optimal with 280&nbsp;nm or shorter wavelength UV-irradiation and enhanced by [[titanium dioxide|TiO<sub>2</sub>]] pigment.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Puls|first1=Juergen|last2=Wilson|first2=Steven A.|last3=Hölter|first3=Dirk|year=2011|title=Degradation of Cellulose Acetate-Based Materials: A Review|journal=Journal of Polymers and the Environment|volume=19|issue=1|pages=152–165|doi=10.1007/s10924-010-0258-0|doi-access=free|bibcode=2011JPEnv..19..152P }}</ref> CA cigarette filters take years to be broken down in the open.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/2012/06/2012-0725-biodegradable-cigarette-filters|title=No more butts: biodegradable filters a step to boot litter problem.|last1=Mulvihill|first1=Marty|last2=Hessler|first2=Wendy|date=August 14, 2012|website=Environmental Health News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129225410/http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/2012/06/2012-0725-biodegradable-cigarette-filters|archive-date=November 29, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=November 25, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Robertson|first1=Raymond M.|last2=Thomas|first2=William C.|last3=Suthar|first3=Jitendrakumar N.|last4=Brown|first4=David M.|date=August 2012|title=Accelerated degradation of cellulose acetate cigarette filters using controlled-release acid catalysis|journal=[[Green Chemistry (journal)|Green Chemistry]]|volume=14|issue=8|pages=2266–2272|doi=10.1039/C2GC16635F}}</ref>

==Trade names==
Cellulose acetate is marketed under various trade names, such as [[Tenite]] ([[Eastman Chemical Company]]), zyl and zylonite,<ref name="allaboutvision.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.allaboutvision.com/eyeglasses/eyeglass_frame_materials.htm|title=Eyeglass Frame Materials|last=Morgan|first=Erinn|date=May 2018|website=All About Vision|access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref> Cellon (''Deutsche Celluloid Fabrik'' in Eilenburg, Germany),<ref name=PQ>{{cite web|url=http://www.plastiquarian.com/index.php|title=Welcome to The Plastics Historical Society|publisher=[[Plastics Historical Society]]|access-date=30 May 2018}}</ref> and Rhodoid (''Soc. des Usines Chim. Rhone-Poulenc'' in Paris, France; ''May & Baker Ltd.'' in London, UK).<ref name=PQ/> Cast film of cellulose acetate manufactured by Celanese (Derbyshire, UK) is sold as Clarifoil.<ref>JSC "[http://www.dp.lt DP acetate] DP acetate produce cellulose acetate yarns from 1965 "</ref>{{cn|date=May 2019}}

==Other cellulose esters==
[[Cellulose acetate butyrate]] (''CAB'', ''Tenite II'') and [[cellulose acetate propionate]] are related derivatives of cellulose, which are both used in inks and coatings. The chief difference between these and cellulose acetate is their solubility in a wider range of solvents.
CAB is widely used for tool handles, due to its toughness and resistance to oil and gasoline.<ref name="pbscrewdrivers">{{cite web |title=Screwdrivers {{!}} PB Swiss Tools |url=https://www.pbswisstools.com/en/tools/quality-hand-tools/screwdrivers/overview |website=www.pbswisstools.com |access-date=24 May 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Safety film]]
* [[Stealth aircraft]]
* [[Textile]]
* [[Rayon]]

==References==
{{reflist|33em}}
Schützenberger, P. "Action de l'acide acétique anhydre sur la cellulose, l'amidon, les sucres, la mannite et ses congénères, les glucosides et certaines matières colorantes végétales." Compt. Rend. Hebd. Séances Acad. Sci 61 (1865): 484-487.


==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1461 History and properties]
* [http://www.makeitfrom.com/data/?material=Cellulose Material Properties Data: Cellulose Acetate (CA)]
* [https://matweb.com/search/DataSheet.aspx?MatGUID=dc5eaaf98a96498889cb7292165523a8&ckck=1]

{{Fibers}}

[[Category:1865 introductions]]
[[Category:Cellulose]]
[[Category:Synthetic fibers]]
[[Category:Thermoplastics]]
[[Category:Transparent materials]]
[[Category:Photographic chemicals]]
[[Category:Acetate esters]]