Nitrocellulose lacquers applications

Butanol is used as a direct solvent in paints and other surface coatings. It acts syneigistically with butyl acetate as a latent solvent system for nitrocellulose lacquers and thinners to give a solvent system stronger than either solvent alone. Other direct solvent applications for -butyl alcohol are in the formulation of pharmaceuticals, waxes, and resins. 

Demand for n-butanol as n-butyl acetate accounts for about 13 percent of domestic consumption of the alcohol. This acetate ester is a general purpose coatings solvent with particular application in nitrocellulose lacquers and moisture cured urethane coatings formulations. n-Butyl acetate is the traditional medium boiling solvent for nitrocellulose lacquers and, as such, is the standard by which other solvents are compared. 

Vinyl resins are widely used as fabric coatings because of their combination of toughness and flexibility, and their property of not supporting combustion. Because they are nonflammable they replaced nitrocellulose lacquers for many applications on fabrics. They produce excellent coatings on metals but care must be taken in their application because, like most high polymers, they have strong cohesive forces that may overcome the adhesive forces. The entire coating may flake off as a continuous sheet if the precise application conditions have not been complied with for the various modifications. 

Available forms 203 Replacement for normal butyl alcohol in nitrocellulose lacquers, alkyd resin formulations, and thinners, distillation range 115-120C, flash p 100F (37.7C) (OC). 601 Replacement for methyl ethyl ketone in vinyl and nitrocellulose applications, distillation range 74—84C, flash p 10F (-12.2C) (OC). 

OTHER COMMENTS used as a solvent for nitrocellulose, lacquers, natural and synthetic resins other applications include varnish removers, cleaning solutions, dyeing and printing textiles, and leather finishings used as an anti-icing additive for aviation fuels. 

In other industrial application sectors there is an increasing tendency to employ low-solvent paints. In furniture production, for example, waterborne, UV-curing paints are superceding high-solvent nitrocellulose lacquers. 

Uses. Although no longer used extensively by the automotive industry, nitrocellulose lacquers are still used by the furniture industry because of their fast-drying and hand-rubbing properties. Cellulose acetate butyrate has been used for coating metal in numerous applications. In 1959 one of the first conveyorized powder coating lines in the United States coated distribution transformer lids and hand-hole covers with a cellulose acetate butyrate powder coating. 

Ethyl acetate is an important solvent for nitrocellulose lacquers, as an active solvent for adhesives, coatings, and inks. The resins used in the coatings and inks include ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate butyrate, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral, polystyrene, and certain chlorinated rubbers. Other applications include manufacture of photographic film, coated papers, and adhesives. Ethyl acetate also is used as a process solvent in the pharmaceutical industry and as an extraction solvent. 

Amyl acetate is used as an active solvent in nitrocellulose, cellulose esters, and cellulose ethers lacquers. Addition of ethanol to the amyl acetate enhances its solvency for these resins. The 2-ethyl hexyl acetate dissolves nitrocellulose and many other natural and synthetic resins. This slow evaporating solvent is useful in brushing and dipping lacquer applications. Cyclohexyl acetate is a useful solvent for nitrocellulose and cellulose ethers in spray and brushing lacquer applications. 

Two of these types are lacquers, giving quick drying to the dust-free state at ambient temperature, but at the expense of lower film build. Nitrocellulose-based lacquers are preferred in some European countries and acrylic lacquers in North America. Nitrocellulose is plasticised with nondrying alkyds, polyester and liquid plasticiser. Acrylics are plasticised internally by use of plasticising monomers with methyl methacrylate and by solvent plasticiser. Acrylics give better durability and nitrocellulose gives easier application. 

Nitrocellulose-based lacquers often contain short or medium oil alkyds to improve flexibility and adhesion. The principal applications are furniture coalings, top lacquer for printed paper, and automotive refinishing primers. 

Uses. Diacetone alcohol is a widely used solvent in the coatings industry where it finds application in hot lacquers which require high boiling components, and in brushing lacquers where its mild odor, blush resistance, and flow-out properties are desired. Diacetone alcohol is also a solvent for nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, and epoxy resins. 

TBC is used as a plasticizer that does not support fungal growth in cellulosic and vinyl resins (especially PVC), polyactic acid resins (as a biodegradable component), and furniture coatings. Also used as a solvent for nitrocellulose and lacquers intended for food contact applications. Additional applications include a defoaming agent in proteinaceous solutions. 

Chemically modified cellulose in the form of cellulose nitrate or nitrocellulose was made and tested for commercial applications in Britain in the 1855-1860 period without much success. The discovery by Hyatt, in 1863, that cellulose nitrate could be plasticized with camphor to give moldability to the blend, made this material much more useful. By 1870, celluloid (plasticized cellulose nitrate) was being produced into a variety of commercial products such as billiard balls, decorative boxes, and combs. Nitrocellulose was also soluble in organic solvents, unlike cellulose, and so could be applied to surfaces in solution to form a coating, as in airplane dopes and automobile lacquers. It could also be solution spun into fibers (synthetic silk) and formed into photographic film, or used as a laminating layer in early auto safety glass. It was also used as an explosive. The hazard introduced to many of these uses of nitrocellulose by its extremely flammable nature resulted in an interest to discover other cellulose derivatives that could still be easily formed, like nitrocellulose, but without its extreme fire hazard. 

Cellulose acetate is a major commodity chemical. It is made by acid-catalysed acetylation of cellulose with acetic anhydride, often after the cellulose has been acid-swollen and sometimes partly hydrolysed to reduce the DP [the acid catalyst is often the (cheap) sulfuric acid]. Material with DS 2.2-2.3 is used for lacquers and plastics the acetone-soluble material of slightly higher DS (2.3-2.4) is spun into acetate rayon and cellulose acetate of DS 2.5-2.6 is used for photographic film. In this application it has replaced nitrocellulose by... 

Zimmer, Fritz "Nitrocellulose Ester Lacquers Their Composition, Application and Use" Chapman and Hall London, 1934 246 pp., trans. by Cameron, H. K. 

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