Chemistry
The Chemistry of Nitrocellulose: Synthesis, Stability, and Applications
Quick fact
Nitrocellulose is so sensitive that it must be kept wet with water or alcohol to prevent accidental ignition, yet it was the first synthetic polymer used to make plastics (celluloid) and is still a key ingredient in modern smokeless gunpowder.
Why this is interesting
Although cotton and paper burn slowly when lit, their main component—cellulose—can be chemically transformed into a material that explodes with tremendous force. How does adding a few nitrate groups turn a plant polymer into gunpowder?