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Abstract
The degradation mechanisms of cellulose nitrate were investigated using mass spectrometry and size exclusion chromatography. After extraction with dichloromethane and analysis by coupling gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, two plasticizers were found: camphor and triphenylphosphate. A reaction product between nitrogen dioxide and triphenylphosphate was observed. The most important results contain the analysis of degraded and undegraded cellulose nitrate bases, by size exclusion chromatography and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy: cleavage of the polymer chain is seen to be the first step of the degradation.