Historical Development of the Coatings Industry

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. 

Binders used in waterborne latex paints are prepared by emulsion polymerization of mixtures of monomers selected to give the optimum glass transition temperature, Tg [4(e)]. Low Tg contributes to good film formation so that the paint 

The changes in quantities shipped from 1995 to 2000 are small, perhaps reflecting a mature industry with slow or no growth. These volumes will reflect changes made in response to regulations. Changes from conventional solvent borne to HSSB will reduce volume shipped, but the dollar value of paint shipped 

The nitrogen oxides shown in this scheme can be the limiting reactant or ozone formation under some conditions, and in such cases reducing VOC has little benefit for reducing ozone formation [4(f)]. 

Solvent Maximum Incremental Reactivity (grams ozone per gram of solvent) 

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