This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Polyvinyl acetate is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
Polyvinyl acetate (PVA or PVAc) is a rubbery synthetic polymer. It is prepared by polymerization of vinyl acetate monomer, also referred to as VAM. Partial or complete hydrolysis of the polymer is used to prepare polyvinyl alcohol. Hydroylized alcohol product is typically in the 87% to 99% range (converted PVA). It was discovered in Germany by Dr. Fritz Klatte in 1912.
As an emulsion in water, PVA is sold as an adhesive for porous materials, particularly wood, paper, and cloth. It is the most commonly used wood glue, both as "white glue" and the yellow "carpenter's glue." PVA is widely used in bookbinding and book arts due to its flexibility, and because it is non-acidic, unlike many other polymers.
PVA is a common copolymer with more expensive acrylics, used extensively in paper, paint and industrial coatings, referred to as vinyl acrylics. It can also be used to protect cheese from fungi and humiditycitation needed. It is slowly attacked by alkali, forming acetic acid as a hydrolysis product. Boron compounds like boric acid or borax will form tackifying precipitates by causing the polymer to cross-link.
PVA is also commonly recommended for use in making leather handcrafted works and papier-mâché.
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 8 October 2008, at 19:08.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Polyvinyl acetate".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.