Polyvinyl Alcohol––Developments

Polyvinyl Alcohol–Developments Edited by C. A. Finch, Pentafin Associates, Aylesbury, UK Over 400 000 tonnes of polyvinyl alcohol are produced each year, in many grades, for use in diverse applications. This volume provides a critical and authoritative review of twenty years of research and developments of the polymer since the publication of Polyvinyl Alcohol: Properties and Applications (1973). It includes major revisions and expansion of previous information on the synthesis, industrial production methods, and the physical, chemical and spectroscopic properties of the polymers, including polyvinyl butyrals, recently developed functional polymers, and ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymers. Among the topics covered are the use of polyvinyl alcohol in ? emulsion polymerization ? textile sizing ? adhesives ? paper coatings ? binding compositions for non–woven fabrics, specialist coatings, ceramics and other inorganic materials ? reprography ? medicine and biotechnology ? polymer films ? photo–resists A chapter by Russian authors describes unique features of production and technology in the Soviet Union.