Abstract: Cellulose esters of polycarboxylic acids, and their salts, such as the hydrogen cellulose ester of succinic acid, and the potassium salts thereof, are known to be useful in the preparation of conductive layers in composite such as photographic films. This invention comprises the discovery that such esters and salts provide improved conductive layers, if made from amorphous cellulose obtained by deacylating a material (such as cellulose acetate) using a lower alcohol as the deacylating agent, and an alkali metal alkoxide as the catalyst. Thus, the conductivity of potassium cellulose succinate (KCS) is improved, if made from a cellulose produced as described above. Furthermore, gelatin/KCS coating solutions made from improved KCS coating solutions of this invention have lower viscosities; this makes them much more suitable for roll coating, a support to be coated such as by a skim pan--air knife technique.