What is nitrocellulose lacquer used for?

NCL Nitrocellulose Lacquer is a single pack, fast drying general purpose lacquer. Potential uses are for high quality furniture, shop fittings, doors, cabinets, desks, panelling, partitions and most interior timberwork. Can also be used on suitably primed metals.

What is nitrocellulose lacquer and its origin?

Nitrocellulose lacquer is made by taking cotton and treating it with sulfuric and nitric acid, generating an acidic pulp, which can be strained to produce a watery resin. The resulting resin is then combined with a number of fast drying solvents to produce the finished lacquer.

Where is nitrocellulose lacquer used?

Nitrocellulose is used to make everything from smokeless gun powder to waterproof fuses in pyrotechnics, inks, adhesives, varnishes, resins, lacquer coatings, embedding sections in microscopy, photography, electrotechniques, galvanoplasty, and even certain plastics, such as what is used in ping-pong balls.

Is nitrocellulose the same as lacquer?

Nitrocellulose was adopted quickly by the car industry and remained the finish of choice through to the late-1950s. Furniture and musical instrument manufacturers also switched to nitrocellulose lacquer, and mostly it was referred to simply as ‘lacquer’.

How is nitrocellulose made?

Nitrocellulose is made by treating cellulose with a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids. This changes the hydroxyl groups (–OH) in the cellulose to nitro groups (–NO3) as shown in Fig. 13.4. Nitrocellulose, also know as gun cotton and the main ingredient of smokeless gunpowder, decomposes explosively.

What is nitrocellulose made from?

nitrocellulose, also called cellulose nitrate, a mixture of nitric esters of cellulose, and a highly flammable compound that is the main ingredient of modern gunpowder and is also employed in certain lacquers and paints.

What is lacquer used for?

Lacquer is a modern wood finish that is commonly used on high end furniture. It is fast drying, impervious to water, and maintains its transparency as it ages. Lacquer finishes are popular because they don’t yellow with age, protect well against liquids, and require very little maintenance.

Is nitrocellulose lacquer natural?

Regarding its content, nitrocellulose lacquer is mostly solvent-based and comprised of plant-based substances like cotton, mixed nitric and sulfuric acids.

What is the function of lacquer?

A lacquers is used to generate an extremely shiny and glossy finish to a wood surface that is otherwise difficult to obtain via the use of varnishes, shellac or other finishing substances. It is highly durable yet may scratch over time due to excessive contact.

What is lacquer made from?

It is a liquid made of shellac dissolved in alcohol that dries to form a very hard, smooth, protective coating on surfaces like wood and metal. Originally made from the sap of a particular tree, it can also be made of synthetic substances.

Where is nitrocellulose found?

In the commercial manufacture of nitrocellulose, wood pulp is the primary source of cellulose. Cellulose sheet and nitrating acids are fed into a reacting vessel, where nitration proceeds until the acids have been centrifuged from the nitrated product.

What does nitrocellulose look like?

Nitrocellulose can appear as a pulpy, cotton-like solid when dry. It is a clear liquid to semisolid when dissolved in alcohol, acetone or an ether-alcohol mixture. The low-nitrogen form of nitrocellulose is soluble in acetone and an ether-alcohol mixture.

When should I use lacquer?

Lacquer. Lacquer provides the extremely intense gloss finish often used on many Asian-inspired or ultramodern furnishings. It is extremely durable and resistant to damage, however over time it can begin to discolor and become scratched.

Is nitro lacquer toxic?

► Inhaling Nitrocellulose can irritate the nose and throat. ► Exposure can cause headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.

What is a nitrocellulose finish?

A nitrocellulose guitar finish is applied multiple times over several days, with each coat essentially melting the previous one. This process eliminates the need to sand between layers. After full application, the solvent chemicals are left to fully dissolve; leaving a dry resin-like texture.

Can nitrocellulose dissolve in water?

Insoluble in water. NITROCELLULOSE WITH WATER, NOT LESS THAN 25% WATER may explode if dried and exposed to heat, flame, friction or shock. May undergo a vigorous reaction with reducing agents, including hydrides, sulfides and nitrides, that culminates in a detonation.

Is nitrocellulose harmful to humans?

Does nitrocellulose lacquer yellow?

Nitrocellulose lacquers are notorious for yellowing, if at all possible you may want to consider using a cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) acrylic blend. These types of lacquers have been used in the automotive paint industry for many, many years with minimal color change.

What is nitrocellulose finish?

What is a Nitro Finish? Nitrocellulose is a century old lacquer used by guitar companies such as Gibson, Fender, Martin and many others. In the ’50s and ’60s nitrocellulose lacquer was almost exclusively used to finish guitars, but it is still in use today, well after the “golden era” of guitar building.