CN
One of the earliest commercial thermoplastics, made by nitrating cellulose and plasticizing with camphor; now largely obsolete for engineering use due to flammability but still produced for niche decorative, musical-instrument and eyewear applications.
Reference datasheet — CN is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
CN grades and fills
CN is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 4 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High-camphor flexible grade | Plasticiser-rich (≥30 % camphor/plasticiser) composition rolled into thin flexible sheet for table-tennis balls, toys and drawing/tracing sheet; softer and more prone to plasticiser loss. | 30 | 42 | 55 | 72 Shore D |
Pearlescent / imitation mother-of-pearl laminated sheet | Guanine/mica pearl-pigmented and laminated stock for guitar picks, plectrums, pen barrels and accordion facings — chosen purely for optical depth, not for strength. | 40 | 48 | 25 | 82 Shore D |
Imitation tortoiseshell / amber patterned sheet | Dye-mottled brown/amber celluloid block sawn into eyewear-frame fronts and temples; picked for its warm translucency and easy hot bending. | 41 | 50 | 30 | 79 Shore D |
Imitation ivory | White, TiO2/ZnO-loaded laminated stock with printed grain lines for piano key tops, knife scales, cutlery handles and dressing-table ware. | 42 | 48 | 20 | 83 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways CN is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
FILM | Nitrate film base | Supply form |
NATDefault | Natural clear seasoned sheet/rod | Standard supply |
What is CN?
One of the earliest commercial thermoplastics, made by nitrating cellulose and plasticizing with camphor; now largely obsolete for engineering use due to flammability but still produced for niche decorative, musical-instrument and eyewear applications. CN has a density of 1.38 g/cm³ (0.0499 lb/in³), heavier than 77% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 55°C (131 °F). CN has a yield strength of 42 MPa (6.09 ksi) and a tensile strength of 52 MPa (7.54 ksi) — weaker than 62% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 1.8 GPa (0.261 Msi).
What is CN used for?
- eyewear frames
- musical instrument parts (guitar picks, pickguards)
- table tennis balls
- decorative laminates
- novelty items
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 92/100, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Easy to machine — 85/100, better than 88% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 80/100, better than 75% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 12/100, worse than 99% of polymer grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 45/100, worse than 98% of polymer grades
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 1.8%, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 55°C (131 °F), worse than 91% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.38 g/cm³ (0.0499 lb/in³), worse than 77% of polymer grades
CN properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
CN has a density of 1.38 g/cm³ (0.0499 lb/in³), heavier than 77% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 55°C (131 °F).
Mechanical12
CN has a yield strength of 42 MPa (6.09 ksi) and a tensile strength of 52 MPa (7.54 ksi) — weaker than 62% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 1.8 GPa (0.261 Msi).
Thermal10
CN is rated for continuous service to 55°C (131 °F). It conducts heat at 0.22 W/m·K (0.127 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 60% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 110 µm/m·K (61.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
CN is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 16 kV/mm (406.4 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹¹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (45/100), worse than 98% of polymer grades. UV resistance is not recommended.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of CN takes about 95 MJ of energy and emits 4.5 kg of CO₂ — less than 70% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability4
CN's machinability is excellent (85/100, better than 88% of polymer grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability very good (80/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. CN is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with CN
Is CN easy to machine?
Saws, mills, turns and sands very freely with sharp tools, but use slow speeds, flood coolant or air blast — frictional heat or sparks can ignite the chips, and dust must not accumulate.
Can CN be welded?
No thermal welding; joined by solvent cementing with acetone, amyl acetate or celluloid-in-solvent dope, which gives near-parent-strength joints.
Can CN be formed, bent or molded?
Not injection moulded — supplied as seasoned block/sheet and shaped by hot bending, pressing or vacuum forming at roughly 70–90 °C; long seasoning is needed to remove solvent and avoid post-shrinkage.
CN chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| cellulose nitrate (nitrogen 10.5–11.5 %)plastics-grade nitrocellulose, lower N than propellant grades | 68 – 78 | 72 |
| camphor (plasticizer)may be partly replaced by triacetin/phthalate co-plasticizers | 20 – 32 | 26 |
| stabilizer (urea/diphenylamine type)acid scavenger to slow autocatalytic degradation | 0.1 – 1 | 0.4 |
| pigments / dyes / pearl essenceTiO2, ZnO, mica or guanine for ivory/pearl effects | 0 – 6 | 1.5 |
| residual solvent + moisturealcohol/ether retained after seasoning | 0.5 – 3 | 1.5 |
What surface finishes work on CN?
Buffs to an outstanding deep gloss with tripoli/wax wheels and takes dyes and lacquers well; avoid hot plating baths, alcoholic cleaners and prolonged UV, and store ventilated to disperse evolved acids.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to CN in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- Celluloid
How much does CN cost?
CN is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
CN — frequently asked
What is CN used for?
CN is typically used for eyewear frames, musical instrument parts (guitar picks, pickguards), table tennis balls, decorative laminates and novelty items. In short: highest-gloss cellulosic; flammable, largely obsolete; solvent-cements to parent strength.
What is the yield strength of CN?
CN has a typical yield strength of 42 MPa (6.09 ksi) and a tensile strength of 52 MPa (7.54 ksi) — weaker than 62% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is CN easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (85/100, better than 88% of polymer grades). Saws, mills, turns and sands very freely with sharp tools, but use slow speeds, flood coolant or air blast — frictional heat or sparks can ignite the chips, and dust must not accumulate.
Can CN be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (70/100). No thermal welding; joined by solvent cementing with acetone, amyl acetate or celluloid-in-solvent dope, which gives near-parent-strength joints.
What surface finishes work on CN?
Buffs to an outstanding deep gloss with tripoli/wax wheels and takes dyes and lacquers well; avoid hot plating baths, alcoholic cleaners and prolonged UV, and store ventilated to disperse evolved acids.
Can CN be formed, bent or molded?
Not injection moulded — supplied as seasoned block/sheet and shaped by hot bending, pressing or vacuum forming at roughly 70–90 °C; long seasoning is needed to remove solvent and avoid post-shrinkage.
What is the maximum service temperature of CN?
CN is rated for continuous use to about 55°C (131 °F), and briefly to 85°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does CN cost?
CN is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Engineered Materials Handbook, Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics (cellulosics) — ASM International (1988)
- Handbook of Plastic Materials and Technology — cellulose nitrate section — Wiley (1990)
- Conservation of Plastics / cellulose nitrate degradation data — Victoria & Albert Museum – Plastics Historical Society literature (2008)
- Celluloid sheet for eyewear and musical accessories — technical bulletin — Japanese/Chinese celluloid sheet producers (2020)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.