Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA): A Versatile Synthetic Polymer
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a synthetic polymer that is water-soluble, biodegradable, and non-toxic, making it one of the most versatile materials in various industries. Chemically, it is derived from polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) through a process called hydrolysis, where the ester groups in PVAc are replaced with hydroxyl groups. This results in a polymer that is highly water-soluble, unlike its parent compound. alcohol polivinilico Chemical Structure and Properties Polyvinyl alcohol has a repeating unit of (-CH2-CH(OH)-) along its polymer chain. This structure imparts several key properties to PVA, including its ability to form films, its high tensile strength, and its excellent adhesion to various surfaces. The hydroxyl (-OH) groups in PVA contribute to its solubility in water and its interaction with other polar materials. The degree of hydrolysis (the extent to which the ester groups are replaced with hydroxyl groups) and the molecular weight of the polymer can be varied to co...