Cellulose
Polymer of glucose and structural component of cell wall of plants and green algae / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Identifiers | |
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ChEMBL | |
ChemSpider |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.029.692 |
EC Number |
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E number | E460 (thickeners, ...) |
KEGG | |
PubChem CID |
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UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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Properties | |
(C 12H 20O 10) n | |
Molar mass | 162.1406 g/mol per glucose unit |
Appearance | white powder |
Density | 1.5 g/cm3 |
Melting point | 260–270 °C; 500–518 °F; 533–543 K Decomposes[2] |
none | |
Thermochemistry | |
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
−963,000 kJ/mol[clarification needed] |
Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) |
−2828,000 kJ/mol[clarification needed] |
Hazards | |
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
NIOSH (US health exposure limits): | |
PEL (Permissible) |
TWA 15 mg/m3 (total) TWA 5 mg/m3 (resp)[2] |
REL (Recommended) |
TWA 10 mg/m3 (total) TWA 5 mg/m3 (resp)[2] |
IDLH (Immediate danger) |
N.D.[2] |
Related compounds | |
Related compounds |
Starch |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula (C
6H
10O
5)
n, a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of β(1→4) linked D-glucose units.[3][4] Cellulose is an important structural component of the primary cell wall of green plants, many forms of algae and the oomycetes. Some species of bacteria secrete it to form biofilms.[5] Cellulose is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth.[6] The cellulose content of cotton fiber is 90%, that of wood is 40–50%, and that of dried hemp is approximately 57%.[7][8][9]
Cellulose is mainly used 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.[6] Cellulose is also greatly affected by direct interaction with several organic liquids.[10]
Some animals, particularly ruminants and termites, can digest cellulose with the help of symbiotic micro-organisms that live in their guts, such as Trichonympha. In human nutrition, cellulose is a non-digestible constituent of insoluble dietary fiber, acting as a hydrophilic bulking agent for feces and potentially aiding in defecation.