Nitrocellulose Synthesis from Miscanthus Cellulose

The possibility of synthesizing nitrocellulose (NC) from an easily renewable non-woody feedstock, Miscanthus, is demonstrated herein. Nitration of Miscanthus cellulose with commercial mixed acid was found to afford high-quality NC: 11.85% nitrogen content, 18 cP viscosity of 2% NC-acetone solution, 97% solubility in alcohol-ester mixture, and 0.11% ash content. The Miscanthus NC structure and fibers were characterized by analytical techniques such as SEM, IR spectroscopy, TGA/DTG, and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. The Miscanthus NC is comparable in quality to basic NC types used for the manufacture of films, membranes, lacquers, nail polish, liquid bandage, artificial silk and skin.