Cellulose acetate is a

Options

A. Natural polymer
B. Semisynlthetic polymer
C. Synthetic polymer
D. Plasticizer

Answer

To determine the classification of cellulose acetate, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Composition of Cellulose
- Cellulose is a natural polymer made up of glucose units. It is found in the cell walls of plants and is a key structural component.

### Step 2: Identify the Modification Process
- Cellulose can undergo chemical modifications. In the case of cellulose acetate, cellulose is treated with acetic anhydride or acetic acid, which introduces acetate groups (-OCOCH3) into the cellulose structure.

### Step 3: Classify the Type of Polymer
- Since cellulose is a natural polymer and the introduction of acetate groups modifies it, cellulose acetate is not purely natural anymore. It is derived from a natural polymer but has been chemically altered.

### Step 4: Define the Classification
- The classification of cellulose acetate can be described as a semi-synthetic polymer. This is because it retains some characteristics of the natural polymer (cellulose) while also having synthetic components due to the chemical modification.

### Conclusion
- Therefore, cellulose acetate is classified as a **semi-synthetic polymer**.

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