Niš, city in southeastern Serbia, on the Nišava River. The city is important for its command of the Morava–Vardar and Nišava river corridors, the two principal routes from central Europe to the Aegean. The main rail line from Belgrade and the north divides at Niš for Thessaloníki, Greece, and

Israel: Finance: …times after 1948, and the new Israeli shekel (NIS) was introduced in September 1985 to replace the earlier Israeli shekel. The government and central bank introduced this measure as part of a successful economic stabilization policy that helped control a rate of inflation that had grown steadily between the 1950s…

Bulgaria: Stamboliyski’s foreign policy: …be known): by signing the Treaty of Niš, he permitted Yugoslav forces to pursue the Macedonian guerrilla bands into Bulgarian territory.

Nisa, first capital of the Parthians, located near modern Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. Nisa was traditionally founded by Arsaces I (reigned c. 250–c. 211 bc), and it was reputedly the royal necropolis of the Parthian kings. Excavations at Nisa have revealed substantial buildings, many inscribed

figure skating: Regional and national: The National Ice Skating Association of Great Britain (NISA) governs eligible skating in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1879, the association organizes tests for skaters and oversees competitions for figure skating, ice dancing, synchronized team skating, speed skating, and recreational skating. Figure skaters who hope to…

Nisaba, in Mesopotamian Religion, Sumerian deity, city goddess of Eresh on the Euphrates River near Erech in the farming regions; she was goddess of the grasses and seed crops. As goddess of the reeds and provider of the reed stylus used by the scribes, she became the patroness of writing and the

Jewish religious year: Months and notable days: …15 Purim (Feast of Lots) Nisan (March–April) 15–22 Pesach (Passover) Iyyar (April–May) 18 Lag ba-ʿOmer (33rd Day of the Omer Counting) Sivan (May–June) 6, 7 Shavuot (Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost) Tammuz (June–July)

Babylonian calendar: …first month of the year, Nisanu, was maintained near the onset of spring by the use of a regular cycle (similar to the Greek Metonic cycle) of intercalations, in which 7 out of 19 years had an extra month added. (For more information about the Babylonian calendar, see calendar: Babylonian…

Morava River: The Nišava, another tributary, rises in western Bulgaria; its valley provides an important transportation route from Belgrade via Sofia to Turkey. The Morava and the South Morava together are a vital part of the Morava-Vardar (Axiós) corridor, a main road and rail route in Serbia.

Horatio Nelson: Early years: There he met Frances Nisbet, a widow, and her five-year-old son, Josiah. Nelson conducted his courtship with formality and charm, and in March 1787 the couple was married at Nevis.

nise-e, (Japanese: “likeness painting”), form of sketchy portraiture that became fashionable in the court circles of 12th- and 13th-century Japan. Realistic art was originally outside the tradition of Japanese portraiture, which, until the 12th century, was purely religious in character. Alongside

Nisei, (Japanese: “second-generation”), son or daughter of Japanese immigrants who was born and educated in the United States. During World War II all persons of Japanese ancestry on the U.S. West Coast were forcibly evacuated from their homes and relocated in inland detention centres as a result

drug use: Opium, morphine, heroin, and related synthetics: …one-tenth as potent as morphine; alphaprodine (Nisentil) is one-fifth as potent as morphine but is rapid-acting; methadone, synthesized in Germany during World War II, is comparable to morphine in potency; levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran) is an important synthetic with five times the potency of morphine. These synthetics exhibit a more favourable tolerance…

Niš, city in southeastern Serbia, on the Nišava River. The city is important for its command of the Morava–Vardar and Nišava river corridors, the two principal routes from central Europe to the Aegean. The main rail line from Belgrade and the north divides at Niš for Thessaloníki, Greece, and

Neyshābūr, town, northeastern Iran. Neyshābūr is situated 46 miles (74 km) west of Meshed. The town, which has shifted its position repeatedly in historical times, lies at an elevation of 3,980 feet (1,213 metres) in a wide, well-watered, and fertile plain at the southern foot of the Bīnālūd

Nishapur pottery, Islāmic ceramics produced at Nishapur (modern Neyshābūr, Iran) that were of bold style and showed links with Sāssānian and Central Asian work. The style originated in Transoxania, an ancient district of Iran, during the 9th century ad and showed such specific characteristics as

Chagatai literature: …18th century, Pahlavanqul Ravnaq and Nishātī, emigrated, the former to the khanate of Kokand and the latter to the khanate of Bukhara. While in Bukhara in the 1770s, Nishātī wrote the last major masnawi in Chagatai, Hüsn u Dil (“Beauty and the Heart”). Turdī, a Bukharan, wrote political satires against…

Nyishi, tribal people of eastern Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh (formerly North East Frontier Agency), a mountainous state in northeastern India. They speak a Tibeto-Burman language of the Sino-Tibetan family. The Nyishi support themselves with a slash-and-burn agriculture and with hunting and

Nishi Amane was a philosopher, writer, and publisher who helped introduce Western philosophy, especially British empiricism, to Japan. After study at the University of Leiden, Neth., he became a professor at Kaieisho College in Tokyo. Together with Mori Arinori (1847–89), later minister of

Nishi Takeichi: Friendship and Honor: Nishi Takeichi (Baron Nishi as he was also known) won a gold medal for the individual equestrian jumping competition at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles. The Prix des Nations, as the competition is called, originated in 1900 at the Olympic Games in Paris and…

Nishi Takeichi (Baron Nishi as he was also known) won a gold medal for the individual equestrian jumping competition at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles. The Prix des Nations, as the competition is called, originated in 1900 at the Olympic Games in Paris and involves a series of obstacles that horse

Nishi Takeichi: Friendship and Honor: Nishi Takeichi (Baron Nishi as he was also known) won a gold medal for the individual equestrian jumping competition at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles. The Prix des Nations, as the competition is called, originated in 1900 at the Olympic Games in Paris and…

Nishida Kitarō was a Japanese philosopher who exemplified the attempt by the Japanese to assimilate Western philosophy into the Oriental spiritual tradition. Nishida’s father, Nishida Yasunori, was for a time a teacher of an elementary school among whose few pupils was Kitarō. His mother, Tosa, was

subatomic particle: Strangeness: … in the United States and Nishijima Kazuhiko in Japan independently suggested a new conservation law. They argued that the strange particles must possess some new property, dubbed “strangeness,” that is conserved in the strong nuclear reactions in which the particles are created. In the decay of the particles, however, a…

Space Invaders: …Japanese engineer and game designer Nishikado Tomohiro in 1978 and produced by Japanese electronic game manufacturer Taito Corp. The objective of Space Invaders, which was one of the earliest video games released, is to pan across a screen and shoot descending swarms of aliens, preventing them from reaching the bottom…

Nishikawa Sukenobu was a Japanese painter of the Ukiyo-e school of popular, colourful paintings and prints, who also was a book designer of the Kyōto–Ōsaka area. Nishikawa studied painting with masters of two schools, the Kanō (stressing Chinese subjects and techniques) and the Japanese-oriented

nishiki-e, Japanese polychrome woodblock prints of the ukiyo-e school that were first made in 1765. The invention of the technique is attributed to Kinroku, and its greatest early master was Suzuki

koi, (Cyprinus carpio), any of more than 100 ornamental varieties of carp that are best known for their colourful body patterning and are kept as pets in indoor and outdoor freshwater ponds throughout the world. Koi were raised initially as food fishes in China and Japan. However, they also serve

World War II: The Philippines and Borneo, from September 1944: …the other, under Vice Admiral Nishimura Teiji, would pass through the Surigao Strait.

Nishinomiya, city, Hyōgo ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, at the mouth of the Mukogawa (Muko River) on the Inland Sea. It is part of the Hanshin Industrial Region. The city occupies a narrow lowland between Ōsaka-wan (Ōsaka Bay) and interior Rokkō-zan (Mt. Rokkō). Nishinomiya is famed for its fine

Nishio, city, Aichi ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, on the lower reaches of the Yahagi-gawa (Yahagi River). Nishio was a castle town and commercial centre during the Tokugawa era (1603–1867). The opening of two railways through the city in 1911 and 1928 resulted in the establishment of industry,

Nishiyama Sōin was a renga (“linked-verse”) poet of the early Tokugawa period (1603–1867) who founded the Danrin school of haikai poetry. Sōin’s haikai (comical renga) became the transition between the light and clever haikai of Matsunaga Teitoku and the more serious and aesthetic haiku of Matsuo

Nishiyama Sōin was a renga (“linked-verse”) poet of the early Tokugawa period (1603–1867) who founded the Danrin school of haikai poetry. Sōin’s haikai (comical renga) became the transition between the light and clever haikai of Matsunaga Teitoku and the more serious and aesthetic haiku of Matsuo

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa: Nishizawa, a student who had also worked for Ito, was one of her first hires. The office gradually developed a national reputation, with Sejima winning the Young Architect of the Year award from the Japanese Institute of Architects in 1992. Not long after, Nishizawa, who…

Yiddish literature: Writers in New York: In “Nisht di meysim loybn got” (“The Dead Do Not Praise God”), Glatstein sings of the Judaic tradition while announcing its death: “We received the Torah at Mount Sinai, / And in Lublin we gave it back.” Many of his poems appear in English translation in…

interlocutory decree: …the United States or a decree nisi in England, for example, is a judicial decree pronouncing the divorce of the parties provisionally but not terminating the marriage until the expiration of a certain period. The purpose of requiring such a period of time is to discourage quick and easy divorce,…

Nusaybin, town, southeastern Turkey. The town is situated on the Görgarbonizra River where it passes through a narrow canyon and enters the plain. Nusaybin faces the Syrian town of Al-Qāmishlī and is 32 miles (51 km) south-southeast of Mardin. Strategically commanding the entrance to the upper

Nusaybin, town, southeastern Turkey. The town is situated on the Görgarbonizra River where it passes through a narrow canyon and enters the plain. Nusaybin faces the Syrian town of Al-Qāmishlī and is 32 miles (51 km) south-southeast of Mardin. Strategically commanding the entrance to the upper

ancient Rome: Diocletian of ancient Rome: …Narses, and in 298 the peace of Nisibis reinstated a Roman protégé in Armenia and gave the empire a part of Upper Mesopotamia that extended even beyond the Tigris. Peace was thus assured for some decades.

School of Nisibis, intellectual centre of East Syrian Christianity (the Nestorian Church) from the 5th to the 7th century. The School of Nisibis (now Nusaybin, Tur.) originated soon after 471, when Narsai, a renowned teacher and administrator at the School of Edessa, and his companions were forced

food additive: Antimicrobials: Nisin and natamycin are preservatives produced by microorganisms. Nisin inhibits the growth of some bacteria, while natamycin is active against molds and yeasts.

Nansen bottle: The Niskin bottle, created by American inventor Shale Niskin in 1966, is more widely used than the Nansen bottle in modern ocean-water sampling activities. Although it is similar to the Nansen bottle in most respects, the Niskin bottle is viewed as an improvement over Nansen’s design…

Argentina: The Fernández de Kirchner administration: …2015 a scandal erupted after Alberto Nisman, the special prosecutor investigating the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires, was found dead the day before he was scheduled to testify before Congress. Just days earlier he had released a report in which he accused Fernández de Kirchner,…

Amorgós Island, island trending northeast-southwest in the Cyclades (Modern Greek: Kykládes) group, South Aegean (Modern Greek: Nótio Aigaío) periféreia (region), Greece. It constitutes a dímos (municipality). The terrain of the island is for the most part mountainous and narrow. It was prosperous

niṣprapañca, (Sanskrit), in the Mādhyamika and Vijñānavāda schools of Buddhist philosophy, ultimate reality. See

Mount Rainier: …from the broad summit, including Nisqually Glacier, whose retreat and advance over the last 150 years has helped scientists determine patterns in Earth’s climate. The mountain has three major peaks: Liberty Cap, Point Success, and Columbia Crest (the latter is the summit, located on the rim of the caldera). Rainier…

Nissaba, in Mesopotamian religion, Sumerian deity, city goddess of Eresh on the ancient Euphrates River near Uruk in the farming regions; she was goddess of the grasses in general, including the reeds and the cereals. As goddess of the reeds and provider of the reed stylus used by the scribes, she

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japanese industrial corporation that manufactures automobiles, trucks, and buses under the names Nissan and Datsun. The company also designs and manufactures such products as communications satellites, pleasure boats, and machinery. Headquarters are in Tokyo. The company

electric car: …vehicles, such as the Nissan LEAF (2010) and the Renault ZOE (2012). Many of the world’s major car companies planned either to make mostly or only electric or hybrid cars or to stop developing new car models with internal-combustion engines by the 2030s.

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japanese industrial corporation that manufactures automobiles, trucks, and buses under the names Nissan and Datsun. The company also designs and manufactures such products as communications satellites, pleasure boats, and machinery. Headquarters are in Tokyo. The company

trampoline: …present-day trampoline by American gymnast George Nissen.

history of Mesopotamia: Mesopotamian protohistory: …Adams and the German archaeologist Hans Nissen have shown how the relative size and number of the settlements gradually shifted: the number of small or very small settlements was reduced overall, whereas the number of larger places grew. The clearest sign of urbanization can be seen at Uruk, with the…

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce responsible for the standardization of weights and measures, timekeeping, and navigation. Established by an act of Congress in 1901, the agency works closely with the U.S. Naval Observatory and the

Yiddish literature: Writers in Poland and the Soviet Union: Der Nister (“The Hidden One”; pseudonym of Pinhas Kahanovitsh) was a highly original Symbolist author. Early in his career he translated selected stories of Hans Christian Andersen and later incorporated folktale elements into his fiction. His major work was the two-volume novel Di mishpokhe Mashber…

archaeology: Preliminary work: …since its development of the Nistri periscope, first used in 1957 in an Etruscan tomb in the cemetery of Monte Abbatone. The periscope is inserted into the burial chamber and can photograph the walls and contents of the whole tomb.

Dniester River, river of southwestern Ukraine and of Moldova, rising on the north side of the Carpathian Mountains and flowing south and east for 840 miles (1,352 km) to the Black Sea near Odesa. It is the second longest river in Ukraine and the main water artery of Moldova. The Dniester and its

Dniester River, river of southwestern Ukraine and of Moldova, rising on the north side of the Carpathian Mountains and flowing south and east for 840 miles (1,352 km) to the Black Sea near Odesa. It is the second longest river in Ukraine and the main water artery of Moldova. The Dniester and its

Nisus, in Greek mythology, king of Megara, a son of King Pandion of Athens. His name was given to the Megarian port of Nisaea. Nisus had a purple lock of hair with magic power: if preserved, it would guarantee him life and continued possession of his kingdom. When King Minos of Crete besieged

National Invitation Tournament (NIT), collegiate basketball competition initiated in the United States in 1938 by New York City basketball writers and held annually since then in Madison Square Garden under the auspices of the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association (MIBA). It is a

stonewort: At least one species, the starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa), is an invasive species in areas outside its native range.

Miyamoto Musashi was a famous Japanese soldier-artist of the early Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1867). Musashi began his career as a fighter early in life when, at age 13, he killed a man in single combat. In 1600 he was on the losing side of the Battle of Sekigahara (which paved the way for

saltpetre, any of three naturally occurring nitrates, distinguished as (1) ordinary saltpetre, or potassium nitrate, KNO3; (2) Chile saltpetre, cubic nitre, or sodium nitrate, NaNO3; and (3) lime saltpetre, wall saltpetre, or calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2. These three nitrates generally occur as

Ethiopia: Daily life and social customs: A spiced clarified butter, niter kebbeh, is widely used to flavour sautéed foods. Since the Ethiopian Orthodox Church mandates abstaining from meat on as many as 250 days a year, vegetarian dishes form an important part of Ethiopian cuisine. Legumes such as lentils or chickpeas appear in many guises.…

Niterói, city, Rio de Janeiro estado (state), eastern Brazil. It lies on the eastern side of the entrance to Guanabara Bay. The city of Rio de Janeiro on the opposite side is connected to Niterói by ferry, railroad, and, since 1974, the President Costa e Silva Bridge, spanning Guanabara Bay; this

Nithard was a Frankish count and historian whose works, utilizing important sources and official documents, provide an invaluable firsthand account of contemporary events during the reign of the West Frankish king Charles II. A son of Charlemagne’s daughter Bertha and the renowned poet and imperial

Spain: Charles II: …Jesuit Johann Eberhard (Juan Everardo) Nithard. It was weakness, rather than strength, that prompted this government not to summon the Cortes any more. But this policy paved the way for the introduction of effective royal absolutism in the 18th century. In 1669 Nithard was overthrown by Juan José de Austria,…

Spain: Charles II: …Jesuit Johann Eberhard (Juan Everardo) Nithard. It was weakness, rather than strength, that prompted this government not to summon the Cortes any more. But this policy paved the way for the introduction of effective royal absolutism in the 18th century. In 1669 Nithard was overthrown by Juan José de Austria,…

Nithsdale, valley of the River Nith, Dumfries and Galloway region, southwestern Scotland. It comprises the western part of the historic county of Dumfriesshire and a small portion of eastern Kirkcudbrightshire. The valley’s upper end lies along the border with Ayrshire, where the Nith flows through

sap beetle, (family Nitidulidae), any of at least 2,000 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) usually found around souring or fermenting plant fluids (e.g., decaying fruit, moldy logs, fungi). Sap beetles are about 12 mm (0.5 inch) or less in length and oval or elongated in shape. In some

Nitisol, one of the 30 soil groups in the classification system of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Occupying 1.6 percent of the total land surface on Earth, Nitisols are found mainly in eastern Africa at higher altitudes, coastal India, Central America, and tropical islands (Cuba,

Communications Decency Act: …obscene content were challenged in Nitke v. Ashcroft (later Nitke v. Gonzales). The plaintiff Barbara Nitke argued that the use of local community standards to determine whether content was obscene was an infringement on her First Amendment rights, as online content is shared with a global community with varying standards.…

Communications Decency Act: …obscene content were challenged in Nitke v. Ashcroft (later Nitke v. Gonzales). The plaintiff Barbara Nitke argued that the use of local community standards to determine whether content was obscene was an infringement on her First Amendment rights, as online content is shared with a global community with varying standards.…

Katherine: Nearby Nitmiluk National Park features the colourful Katherine Gorge, with walls of red and brown quartzite; it is located some 22 miles (35 km) northeast of the town. There are thermal springs in the town and at Mataranka, to the southeast. A Royal Australian Air Force…

radon (Rn), chemical element, a heavy radioactive gas of Group 18 (noble gases) of the periodic table, generated by the radioactive decay of radium. (Radon was originally called radium emanation.) Radon is a colourless gas, 7.5 times heavier than air and more than 100 times heavier than hydrogen.

Nitophyllum, genus of red algae in the family Delesseriaceae, consisting of about 25 marine species distributed throughout coastal regions. The genus was named in 1830 by British botanist and mycologist Robert Kaye Greville. The best-characterized member, Nitophyllum punctatum, is known for its

Nitophyllum: Less well-characterized is N. divaricatum, a species native to the Galapagos Islands that may be at risk of decline from climate change and increased herbivory associated with the loss of predators in the region.

Nitophyllum: The best-characterized member, Nitophyllum punctatum, is known for its distinctive rose colour and delicate ribbonlike fronds; it has been described from intertidal pools or subtidal areas along the coasts of every continent. Less well-characterized is N. divaricatum, a species native to the Galapagos Islands that may be at…

Nitra, town, southwestern Slovakia. It lies along the Nitra River. The centre of the Nitra principality in the beginning of the 9th century, it was later a stronghold and religious centre. The first Christian church in what is now Slovakia was established there in ad 830 and consecrated by Saints

Czechoslovak history: Moravia: About 833 Mojmír attached the Nitra region (the western part of modern Slovakia) to his domain. His successor (after 846), Rostislav, consolidated the country and defended it successfully. His relations with the East Frankish empire (since 843 under Louis the German) were determined by political considerations and by the advance…

explosive: Nitramon and Nitramex explosives: An important advance in explosives technology was the development by du Pont in 1934 of Nitramon, a canned product with a typical formula of 92 percent ammonium nitrate, 4 percent dinitrotoluene, and 4 percent paraffin wax. Some grades contain metallic ingredients such as…

explosive: Nitramon and Nitramex explosives: An important advance in explosives technology was the development by du Pont in 1934 of Nitramon, a canned product with a typical formula of 92 percent ammonium nitrate, 4 percent dinitrotoluene, and 4 percent paraffin wax. Some grades contain metallic ingredients…

nitrate, any member of either of two classes of compounds derived from nitric acid, HNO3. The salts of nitric acid are ionic compounds containing the nitrate ion, NO-3, and a positive ion, such as NH4+ in ammonium nitrate. Esters of nitric acid are covalent compounds having the structure R―O―NO2,

nitrate and iodate minerals, small group of naturally occurring inorganic compounds that are practically confined to the Atacama Desert of northern Chile; the principal locality is Antofagasta. These minerals occur under the loose soil as beds of grayish caliche (a hard cemented mixture of

film: Preservation of film: One reason is that inflammable nitrate film stock, which was generally used until the 1940s, when it was replaced by acetate, is chemically unstable. Also, as film runs through a projector, it is eventually worn, scratched, or damaged. Still another factor is that commercial conditions of filmmaking discouraged preservation; the…

Chile saltpetre, sodium nitrate, a deliquescent crystalline sodium salt that is found chiefly in northern Chile (see

Chile saltpetre, sodium nitrate, a deliquescent crystalline sodium salt that is found chiefly in northern Chile (see

nitro compound: …made by the reaction, called nitration, between nitric acid and an organic compound. Nitration of aromatic compounds, such as benzene or toluene, is commonly effected by treating them with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids at temperatures of 100° C or lower. These temperatures are not high enough for…

saltpetre, any of three naturally occurring nitrates, distinguished as (1) ordinary saltpetre, or potassium nitrate, KNO3; (2) Chile saltpetre, cubic nitre, or sodium nitrate, NaNO3; and (3) lime saltpetre, wall saltpetre, or calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2. These three nitrates generally occur as

nitric acid, (HNO3), colourless, fuming, and highly corrosive liquid (freezing point −42 °C [−44 °F], boiling point 83 °C [181 °F]) that is a common laboratory reagent and an important industrial chemical for the manufacture of fertilizers and explosives. It is toxic and can cause severe burns. The

nitric oxide (NO), colourless toxic gas that is formed by the oxidation of nitrogen. Nitric oxide performs important chemical signaling functions in humans and other animals and has various applications in medicine. It has few industrial applications. It is a serious air pollutant generated by

nitride, any of a class of chemical compounds in which nitrogen is combined with an element of similar or lower electronegativity, such as boron, silicon, and most metals. Nitrides contain the nitride ion (N3−), and, similar to carbides, nitrides can be classified into three general categories:

nitriding, process for hardening the surface of steel objects by introducing nitrogen (N) into it, where it combines with iron and other alloying elements to form hard metallic nitrides. Nitriding is usually done by heating steel objects in gaseous ammonia (NH3) at temperatures between 500 and 550

nitrogen cycle: Nitrification, a process carried out by nitrifying bacteria, transforms soil ammonia into nitrates (NO3−), which plants can incorporate into their own tissues.

wastewater treatment: Removal of plant nutrients: A method called nitrification-denitrification can be used to remove the nitrates. It is a two-step biological process in which ammonia nitrogen is first converted into nitrates by microorganisms. The nitrates are further metabolized by another species of bacteria, forming nitrogen gas that escapes into the air. This process…

nitrifying bacterium, any of a small group of aerobic bacteria (family Nitrobacteraceae) that use inorganic chemicals as an energy source. They are microorganisms that are important in the nitrogen cycle as converters of soil ammonia to nitrates, compounds usable by plants. The nitrification

nitrifying bacterium, any of a small group of aerobic bacteria (family Nitrobacteraceae) that use inorganic chemicals as an energy source. They are microorganisms that are important in the nitrogen cycle as converters of soil ammonia to nitrates, compounds usable by plants. The nitrification

nitrile, any of a class of organic compounds having molecular structures in which a cyano group (―C ≡ N) is attached to a carbon atom (C). Nitriles are colourless solids or liquids with distinctive odours. Acrylonitrile is produced in large quantities by a process called ammoxidation that depends

acrylamide: Manufacture and applications of acrylamide: …1980 an enzyme known as nitrile hydratase, which is also capable of generating acrylamide from acrylonitrile, was discovered in microorganisms. This enzyme subsequently succeeded the use of sulfuric acid and copper catalysts in the industrial production of acrylamide.

nitrile rubber (NBR), an oil-resistant synthetic rubber produced from a copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene. Its main applications are in fuel hoses, gaskets, rollers, and other products in which oil resistance is required. In the production of NBR, acrylonitrile (CH2=CHCN) and butadiene

nitrile rubber (NBR), an oil-resistant synthetic rubber produced from a copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene. Its main applications are in fuel hoses, gaskets, rollers, and other products in which oil resistance is required. In the production of NBR, acrylonitrile (CH2=CHCN) and butadiene