polyvinyl alcohol

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a colorless, water-soluble, thermoplastic resin, derived by the hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate: used chiefly as an adhesive and as a sizing agent in the manufacture of textiles, paper, and plastics.

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyvinyl alcohol¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The process involves blending three main components -- carbon nanotubes, polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethyl cellulose -- followed by freeze-drying.

From Science Daily

To address this issue, the team developed a hybrid porous structure using polyvinyl alcohol, a lightweight polymer with high affinity for lithium ions, combined with single-walled carbon nanotubes and nanocarbon spheres.

From Science Daily

They made metallic glass nanotubes with an average wall thickness of just 20nm, and fabricated nanosheets from different substrates, such as sodium chloride, polyvinyl alcohol and conventional photoresist substrates, with different levels of oxygen concentration.

From Science Daily

The petition urges the agency to require health and environmental safety tests for polyvinyl alcohol, also known as PVA or PVOH, which encases the pods.

From Washington Post

“Polyvinyl alcohol is a polymer, so by definition it is a plastic — it’s a synthetic petroleum-based plastic,” said Blueland co-founder Sarah Paiji Yoo.

From Washington Post