Celluloid is an old trade name used for plastic and is the earliest artificially manufactured plastic.

History:

In 19th century Europe, playing billiards was a very popular entertainment activity among the upper class. Early billiard balls were made of ivory. In order to obtain ivory, more than 20,000 elephants were killed every year. Due to the scarcity of ivory, the output was very limited, so someone offered a reward of US$10,000 for alternative materials for making billiard balls.

In 1869, someone heated a mixture of nitrocellulose, camphor and ethanol under high pressure, and then hardened and molded it under normal pressure to make cheap billiard balls, and won the prize. So, billiard balls As a sport, it began to gradually become popular in society. This material made from cellulose is "celluloid". "Celluloid" became the earliest artificially manufactured plastic.

Extended information

Characteristics and uses:

Celluloid tends to be thinner and lighter than bakelite and becomes brittle when heated to higher temperatures , and will crack. Even some celluloid sheets are flammable, and although more brittle than bakelite, it can still be bent or twisted. When exposed to hot water, most celluloids have a smell like vinegar or old camphor. Celluloid jewelry can be damaged by moisture, extreme temperatures, or chemicals. Celluloid stored in a closed environment for a long time can also become very dull or even crack.

Celluloid’s uses are diverse and extend far beyond the pool table. The most common uses are to make table tennis balls, jewelry headwear, musical instrument decorations and picks. Other uses are in chemical industry, aerospace, machinery, printing and dyeing, building materials, decoration, packaging, cosmetics, gift packaging and other fields.

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