Cellulose Acetate

• Cellulose acetate (also known as zyl or zylonite), first prepared in 1865, is the acetate ester of cellulose.
• Cellulose acetate is used as a film base in photography, as a component in some adhesives, and as a frame material for eyeglasses.
• It is also used as a synthetic fiber and in the manufacture of cigarette filters and playing cards.
• When exposed to heat, moisture or 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."