Polyvinyl alcohol is used as a biological reagent to test the dispersion of zinc oxide nanoparticles. It is an effective protein resistant material and is used to stabilize gold colloids of diameter 3-8nm. It is used as an emulsion polymerization aid to make polyvinyl acetate, as a protective colloid, as a film used in the water transfer printing process, as a surfactant for the formation of polymer encapsulated nanobeads, as an embolization agent in medical procedures and as a fixative for specimen collection.

This Thermo Scientific Chemicals brand product was originally part of the Alfa Aesar product portfolio. Some documentation and label information may refer to the legacy brand. The original Alfa Aesar product / item code or SKU reference has not changed as a part of the brand transition to Thermo Scientific Chemicals.