Solvent loss gloss

Nitrocellulose lacquers were used very early as automobile topcoats. They produced very attractive high-gloss finishes. Since the nitrocellulose molecular weight is high, a very high level of solvent was needed to reach spray viscosity. This resulted in the need for many coats to reach adequate film thickness. Both the high solvent levels and the use of multiple coats contributed to extremely high volatile losses from nitrocellulose lacquers. 

Hulmer, 1976). The mattness of a sprayed coating can of course be varied by adjusting the conditions of spraying. There is a gradual loss of gloss over the months of solvent evaporation (De Witte, 1975). 

---