any of various nitrocellulose explosives of high nitration (13.35-13.4% nitrogen) made by treating cotton with nitric and sulfuric acids; used principally in the manufacture of single-base and double-base propellants
Guncotton is nitrocellulose that has more than 13 percent nitrogen. ... Less completely nitrated celluloses are called collodion cotton, pyroxylin, or soluble nitrocellulose because they dissolve in ether-alcohol solvent. They are inferior to guncotton in explosive properties