Chloe Zhang
Celluloid is a type of plastic material that was invented in the mid-1800s. It is a combination of cellulose nitrate and camphor, with added dyes and other agents. It was used to make a variety of objects, from jewellery to photography film, until about 1940. However, due to its highly flammable nature, celluloid began to be replaced by other plastics like cellulose acetate and vinyl polymers in the 1920s and 1930s. Plastic, on the other hand, is a general term for any synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solid that is malleable. Plastics are made from natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil and have always existed in nature, including amber, rubber, and gutta-percha, all derived from tree sap.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Composition | Celluloid: Nitrocellulose and camphor, often with added dyes and other agents such as cellulose dinitrate, pigments, fillers, and alcohol |
| Plastic: Varies | |
| Development | Celluloid: First synthetic plastic material, developed in the 1860s and 1870s |
| Plastic: Natural plastics have always existed, such as amber, rubber, and gutta-percha | |
| Uses | Celluloid: Photography film, table tennis balls, musical instruments, combs, office equipment, fountain pen bodies, guitar picks, billiard balls, toiletry articles, jewelry, toys, and collectibles |
| Plastic: Jewelry, toys, electrical fixtures, plumbing parts | |
| Properties | Celluloid: Tough, flexible, moldable, water-resistant, inexpensive, easy to work with, durable, flammable |
| Plastic: Moldable | |
| Deterioration | Celluloid: Vulnerable to thermal, chemical, photochemical, and physical factors |
| Plastic: N/A |
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What You'll Learn
Composition
Celluloid is a trade name for a type of plastic material invented in the mid-1800s. It is composed of cellulose dinitrate or cellulose nitrate, blended with pigments, fillers, camphor, and alcohol to create a unique synthetic material. The process of creating celluloid involves mixing nitrocellulose and camphor, often with added dyes and other agents. The nitrocellulose base, also known as "guncotton", is dissolved with organic solvents to form a thick, syrupy liquid called collodion, which was originally used as a wound dressing and an emulsion for early photographic plates.
The addition of camphor, another plant-based material, is crucial to the creation of celluloid. Camphor dissolves the guncotton and makes it mouldable or plastic. When heated and placed under pressure, the mixture becomes a dough-like mass to which colouring agents can be added. The coloured mass is then rolled, sheeted, and pressed into blocks. These blocks are then sliced and can be further fabricated, or the sheeting and pressing process can be repeated for different effects.
The composition of celluloid has been improved upon over time, with the discovery of amyl acetate as a suitable solvent in 1882, allowing celluloid to be made into a clear, flexible film. This film was then processed for use in still photography and later in motion pictures, becoming the standard before the adoption of acetate safety film in the 1950s.
Celluloid is highly flammable, and its use declined after the introduction of plastics based on entirely synthetic polymers in the mid-20th century. However, it remains valued for its lightweight and flexible properties, and its ability to imitate more expensive materials like ivory, tortoiseshell, and horn contributed to its widespread use in the late 1800s and early 1900s for a variety of products, from jewellery and toys to electrical fixtures and plumbing parts.
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Uses
Celluloid is the first synthetic plastic material, developed in the 1860s and 1870s. It is a tough, flexible, and mouldable material that is resistant to water, oils, and dilute acids. It is highly flammable, difficult and expensive to produce, and no longer widely used.
Celluloid was initially used as a substitute for ivory, tortoiseshell, horn, and other expensive animal products. It was used to make a variety of products, including:
- Combs
- Brush handles
- Piano keys
- Eyeglass frames
- Jewellery and jewellery boxes
- Hair accessories
- Dressing table sets
- Dolls
- Picture frames
- Charms
- Hat pins
- Buttons
- Buckles
- Stringed instrument parts
- Accordions
- Fountain pens
- Cutlery handles
- Kits
Celluloid was also commonly used in the movie and photography industries as film stock until the adoption of acetate safety film in the 1950s.
Plastic is used across almost every sector, including:
- Packaging
- Building and construction
- Textiles
- Consumer products
- Transportation
- Electrical and electronics
- Industrial machinery
Plastics are used in clothes, furniture, and electronics due to their versatility and durability. They are also used extensively in transportation, such as in seats, panels, and structural elements of vehicles. In addition, plastics are used in:
- Food packaging, such as PVC cling film and plastic tubs or containers
- Plumbing
- Non-stick cooking pans
- Vacuum cleaners
- Cell phones
- Television
- Sound systems
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Flaws
Celluloid is a synthetic plastic material developed in the 1860s and 1870s. It is a tough, flexible, and mouldable material that is resistant to water, oils, and dilute acids. However, it has certain inherent flaws, including:
- Thermal, chemical, photochemical, and physical sources of deterioration.
- As celluloid ages, the camphor molecules are forced out of the mass due to the unsustainable pressure used in production. This results in the plastic reverting to brittle nitrocellulose.
- Exposure to excess heat can cause the nitrate groups to break off and release nitrogen gases, such as nitrous oxide and nitric oxide, into the air.
- Excess moisture can accelerate the deterioration of nitrocellulose.
- It is highly flammable.
- It is difficult and expensive to produce.
Plastic is a versatile material that can be moulded or shaped into various forms. However, there are certain issues with plastic production, such as:
- The ability to form different shapes can also mean that plastic may not always take the desired shape.
- During the injection process, if parts of the mould don't receive enough pressure, it can cause additional stress and result in sink marks on the surface of the plastic.
- Bubbles can form in the material if the mould cavity fills up too quickly and air gets trapped.
- When two or more plastic streams meet at different temperatures, they may not mix correctly, resulting in weld lines.
- Warpage occurs when the shape of the injection parts are inconsistent with the design drawings, usually caused by uneven shrinking or stress during demoulding.
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Collectibles
Celluloid is a trade name for a type of plastic material invented in the mid-1800s. It is often referred to as the first plastic. It was widely used in the 1800s and early 1900s to make collectibles such as pins, buttons, fountain pens, toys, dolls, and figures. It was also commonly used as an ivory substitute to create cheaper versions of items such as toiletary boxes, billiard balls, and brush handles.
Today, celluloid collectibles are sought after by antique collectors, particularly in the form of art deco jewelry, advertising pins, and old-timey radios. Some celluloid bangle bracelets with colourful rhinestones can be worth several hundred dollars.
When identifying celluloid, one of the key characteristics is that it tends to be much thinner and lighter than other period plastics. It is often transparent, and when held up to a bright light, you may be able to see through it even if it is dyed. A simple test to determine if an item is made of celluloid is to place it under hot water for a few seconds and then smell it. If it smells like camphor, it is likely celluloid.
While celluloid was initially durable, one downside to collecting this plastic is that some pieces do not hold up well over time and can chip, crack, and crumble. This deterioration is known as "'celluloid rot'" or "celluloid disease" and is believed to be caused by the release of gases due to exposure to excess heat, moisture, or ultraviolet light.
Another important consideration when collecting celluloid is its flammability. Celluloid items should be kept away from heat sources and areas prone to extreme heat to avoid combustion.
Bakelite, also known as Catalin, is another popular vintage plastic collected for its colourful jewelry, toys, trophies, and more. It differs from celluloid in that once hardened, it cannot be returned to a moldable state, so there is no risk of melting when exposed to high heat.
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Testing
One of the most notable differences between celluloid and plastic is their behaviour in table tennis balls. The computed variables, such as the coefficients of restitution and friction, were used to calculate the post-collision trajectories of both ball types under different conditions. The results showed that the plastic balls had higher coefficients of restitution when the initial vertical velocities were higher, and higher coefficients of friction when the initial horizontal contact point velocities were slower. This means that the plastic balls bounced higher and experienced more stops upon collision with the table, which can influence the tactics and movement of defensive players.
Another difference is the flammability of the materials. Celluloid is highly flammable, which is one of the reasons why it is no longer widely used. A flammability test can be conducted to compare the flammability of celluloid and plastic, which involves exposing the materials to an ignition source and observing their response.
The durability of celluloid and plastic can also be tested. Celluloid is susceptible to various sources of deterioration, including thermal, chemical, photochemical, and physical factors. Over time, the camphor molecules in celluloid are squeezed out due to the production process, causing the nitrocellulose molecules to crystallize and the material to become brittle. This can be tested by exposing both materials to different environmental conditions, such as excess heat, moisture, and nitrogen gases, and observing their respective rates of deterioration.
Additionally, the fabrication processes and moulding capabilities of the materials can be compared. Celluloid softens under heat and is not suitable for efficient fabrication processes like injection moulding, whereas plastic can be moulded into various shapes using methods like injection moulding. Tests can be designed to compare the ease and versatility of shaping and moulding the materials, such as drilling, turning, planing, and polishing.
By conducting these tests, the differences between celluloid and plastic can be observed and analysed, providing valuable information for understanding their unique properties and behaviour under different conditions.
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Frequently asked questions
Celluloid is a type of plastic material invented in the mid-1800s. It is a product of cellulose dinitrate blended with pigments, fillers, camphor, and alcohol to make a unique synthetic material.
Plastic is any material that is capable of being moulded or shaped. There have always been natural plastics, including amber, rubber, and gutta-percha, which are all derived from tree sap.
Celluloid is a type of plastic, but not all plastics are celluloid. Celluloid is a specific type of plastic made from cellulose nitrate, or nitrocellulose, blended with other materials.
Celluloid was historically used as a substitute for more expensive materials such as ivory, tortoiseshell, and horn. It was used to make a variety of objects including jewellery, toys, and toiletry items. Today, celluloid is still used to make table tennis balls.
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