Abstract

Inorganic esters of cellulose have a valuable place in history, from the birth of the plastics industry to elucidation of the genetic code. It is important not to forget the large number of applications in which these materials have played a role: coatings, explosives, pharmaceuticals, membranes, and synthetic intermediates. Though inorganic esters of cellulose have been around for >100 years, these materials remain important tools for coatings scientists, explosives experts, and biochemists. This report provides a summary of work on inorganic esters of cellulose, including cellulose nitrate, cellulose phosphate, cellulose sulfate and cellulose sulfonates.