cellulose
Sign in to saveCellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of β(1→4) linked D-glucose units. Cellulose is an important structural component of the cell walls of green plants, many forms of algae, and the oomycetes. Some species of bacteria secrete it to form biofilms. Cellulose is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth. The cellulose content of cotton fibre is 90%, that of wood is 40–50%, and that of dried hemp is approximately 57%.
AI overview
Cellulose is a natural polymer made up of linked glucose molecules that serves as a structural component in plant cell walls and is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth. It's practically important because it makes up a significant portion of everyday materials like cotton (90%), wood (40–50%), and hemp (57%).
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Article
15 sectionsContents
- History
- Structure and properties
- Processing
- Biosynthesis
- Breakdown (cellulolysis)
- Breakdown (thermolysis)
- Hemicellulose
- Regenerated cellulose
- Cellulose esters and ethers
- Commercial applications
- Aspirational
- Dung-geneering
- See also
- References
- External links
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of β(1→4) linked D-glucose units. Cellulose is an important structural component of the cell walls of green plants, many forms of algae, and the oomycetes. Some species of bacteria secrete it to form biofilms. Cellulose is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth. The cellulose content of cotton fibre is 90%, that of wood is 40–50%, and that of dried hemp is approximately 57%.
Cellulose is used mainly to produce paperboard and paper. Smaller quantities are converted into a wide variety of derivative products such as cellophane and rayon. Conversion of cellulose from energy crops into biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol is under development as a renewable fuel source. Cellulose for industrial use is mainly obtained from wood pulp and cotton. In addition, cellulose exhibits pronounced susceptibility to direct interactions with certain organic liquids, notably formamide and DMSO, and short-chain amines (methylamine, ethylamine) are among the compounds recognized as highly effective swelling agents.