Polyvinyl Alcohol also known as PVA or even PVAI is a synthetic polymer. Its ideal formula is CH2CH(OH). It is used in a variety of industries such as papermaking, the textile industry, and many more industries.
It is said to be colorless as well as odorless. It does not have any taste. Polyvinyl Alcohol boiling point is said to be 644 °F. It has a melting point of 442 °F, here melting point is referred to as the temperature at which polyvinyl starts to decompose. It also has applications in a variety of coatings.
Polyvinyl alcohol uses include the replacement of cartilage, contact lenses, and eye drops. These applications are due to their properties such as biocompatibility, low toxicity, and low affection for protein adhesion. It also has its application in the medical industry such that it is used as an embolic agent in Uterine Fibroid Embolectomy (UFE).
Polyvinyl alcohol structure is unique among all the other polymers, it has the tendency to be easily mixed up with other natural materials, which makes its application list a lot longer than it was earlier.
There are studies stating that the mechanical properties of Polyvinyl alcohol can be drastically improved by performing some treatment, without actually degrading its property.
Uses of Polyvinyl alcohol further include that it is used as a coating agent for food packaging. As it is proven to be non-toxic to humans, it can be easily used in the food packaging industry. Most of its application lies in the food packaging industry itself almost 31% of the total global share. Polyvinyl alcohol film is used for coating food supplements due to its properties such as resistance to moisture.
Polyvinyl Alcohol is a resin-like compound usually made up of organic compounds. It is the basic element used in the preparation of other resin compounds such as Polyvinyl Butyral or Polyvinyl formal.
One thing to note here is that polyvinyl alcohol has also found its application in the pharmaceutical industry. The coating of polyvinyl alcohol is proven to be quite prominent on medicinal tablets.
Polyvinyl alcohol in eyedrops is also widely known as artificial tears. Actually, they are used to relieve eye dryness and sometimes soreness in the eyes. Polyvinyl alcohol lubricates the surface of the eyes, moistening them and making a person feel comfortable.
There may be some side effects of using polyvinyl alcohol in the eyes as it may cause some blurred effects in the eyes when used for the very first time. Temporary irritation or burning sensation may also occur. A very serious allergic reaction is quite rare in this type of reaction.
Polyvinyl alcohol 3d printing is a good choice due to its property that it is soft and biodegradable. When exposed to water it will easily dissolve making it a proper choice for structural support in 3d printing. It is just used for structural support for 3d printing after the material is stable it is dipped in water, which dissolves and the final product is just the 3d model without any support. In the case of making a prototype for a quick showcase, PVA can be used for this purpose.
Polyvinyl alcohol in skincare products has a lot of uses. It is usually used in peel-off facial masks, it is also used in various cosmetics as a gel-based thickener. It may also have some side effects in cases such as if it is mixed with glycerin or other skin-repairing ingredients.