Adding value toyour products –worldwide

Polyvinylalcohol –Application
Guide

Kuraray Poval™, Exceval™, Elvanol™ and Mowiflex™ are the trademarks for polyvinyl alcohols
made by Kuraray. Their key characteristics — outstanding film-forming properties and highbinding strength — add real value to your products. Our polymers are water-soluble, highlyreactive, crosslinkable and foamable. They have high pigment binding capacity, protective
colloid characteristics and thickening effects. The physical and chemical properties of Kuraray
Poval™ make it ideal for a wide variety of applications, ranging from adhesives through paper andceramics to packaging films. Many of our polymers are food contact-approved and thus suitablefor food applications. Ecologically Kuraray Poval™ is advantageous due to its biodegradability andthe fact that combustion does not generate residues. It is available in various particle sizes fromgranules to fine powders.

Exceval™

Elvanol™

Kuraray produces its wide range of Kuraray Poval™ grades in Japan, Singapore, Germany andthe USA. Kuraray’s global production and service network make us your partner of choice forinnovative high-quality PVOH resins.

Kuraray‘s water-soluble
ethylene vinyl alcohol

Kuraray’s
polyvinyl alcohol

Kuraray – Here to Innovate.

Exceval™ is the trade mark of Kuraray’s hydrophobically modified polyvinyl alcohol especially designed for the requirements of “high water resistance”. When used as a dispersing
aid / protective colloid for the manufacture of polyvinyl acetate emulsion for wood adhesives, high water resistance like
DIN D3 level can be achieved. This level of performance isaccomplished without the addition of any cross-linking agents
thanks to the excellent water resistance of Exceval™ itself.
Exceval™ contributes to the production of “formaldehydefree”, environmentally friendly wood adhesives. Due to its highwater resistance utilized in top coats in direct thermal papers
it is able to protect the imaging layer from being damaged.

Elvanol™ is a recent addition to Kuraray’s polyvinyl alcohol
product portfolio. Its unique particle morphology, comingfrom a special production process expands its range of applications. An important advantage is improved water solubility and dissolving time and therefore energy consumption
could be reduced dramatically. Elvanol™ can be dissolved in
the continuous cooking process designed for starch in which
standard polyvinyl alcohols remain undissolved. This will bea significant benefit in paper coating applications, especiallywhere polyvinyl alcohols are used together with starch toenhance performance. Another valuable advantage is to produce an enhanced blending with fine particle materials likeinorganic fillers. This characteristic provides a more uniform
mold in compression molding type applications.

In aqueous gas barrier coating applications, coatings madeof Exceval™ absorb significantly less humidity. Therefore
Exceval™ provides coatings with excellent gas barrier properties, e.g. toward oxygen, carbon dioxide and various aromas
even at elevated relative humidity. Furthermore, the resulting coatings are highly transparent and glossy, have a strong
chemical resistance and provide good adhesion to metallization as well as excellent printability.
One additional interesting character is the formation of an excellent oil and grease barrier when coated on papers becauseof better film forming properties. Exceval™ is an excellent gap
filler between paper pulp which results in less permeability ofliquids. Exceval™ is an FDA certified product and can be usedin paper coating formulas and will be the best candidate ofnon-fluoro chemical barrier agents in the next generation ofgrease proof papers.

Elvanol™ T grades are unique copolymers developed especially for use as warp sizes for polyester / cotton blends andother spun yarns. What makes Elvanol™ T grades so special
is an increased solubility into water under alkaline conditions
and this is the key to more effective “de-sizing”. Their performance is not deteriorated even when recycled and the copolymers will be the most economical textile sizing agent to meetenvironmental requirements from the market.

Headquarters
Kuraray Co., Ltd.
Tokiwabashi Tower
2-6-4, Otemachi
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, Japan 100-0004
Phone: +81 3 67 01 1000
infopoval.jp@kuraray.com

Kuraray Poval™
product portfolio
Please contact your local
Kuraray office to discuss theright Kuraray product foryour needs.

Kuraray America, Inc.
2625 Bay Area Blvd.,
Suite 600 Houston, TX77058
United States of America
Phone: +1 800 423 9762Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte., Ltd.
250 North Bridge Road
#10-01/02 Raffles City Tower
Singapore 179101
Phone: +65 6337 4123

info.kuraray-poval@kuraray.com

infopoval.sg@kuraray.com

Kuraray Europe GmbH
Philipp-Reis-Str. 465795 Hattersheim am Main,
Germany
Phone: +49 69 305 85 351

Kuraray China Co., Ltd.
Unit 2207, 2 Grand Gateway
3 Hongqiao Road, Xuhui District,
Shanghai 200030, China
Phone: +86 21 6119 8111

info.eu-poval@kuraray.com

infopoval.cn@kuraray.com

02_2022

Abrasives
Adhesives

The applications of polyvinyl alcohol are
extremely wide-ranging. The main uses
are in the paper, textile, construction andadhesive industries as well as cosmetics,
packaging and electronics. The physicaland chemical properties make polyvinyl
alcohol very versatile. Kuraray Poval™,Exceval™ and Elvanol™ are water soluble,
have excellent film forming characteristics and high tensile strength.
In addition, the polymers are highly elastic and resistant to organic solvents. They
also have dispersing power / surface activity to make emulsions and suspensions
like surfactants. Reactivity of numeroushydroxyl groups with substances such asaldehydes and other reactive compounds
expand the range even wider.
In the paper industry polyvinyl alcohol
plays an important role as a carrier for
optical brighteners. In the manufactureof bank notes it guarantees extremely
hard-wearing properties and its use asa creping adhesive contributes to highproductivity of tissue paper. Polyvinyl
alcohol is also well known as a binder offine particle inorganic fillers like fumed
silica in ink jet papers for high quality
photo printing.
In adhesives, polyvinyl acetate and vinyl
acetate – ethylene emulsions realize
sufficient adhesive strength on woods
and papers thanks to the stabilization
by polyvinyl alcohol. As a component of
remoistenable adhesives, e.g. for postage
stamps, partially hydrolyzed grades
ensure that the adhesive strength is not
impaired even in fluctuating air humidity.
In the production of high strength
industrial ceramics, polyvinyl alcohol acts
as a temporary binder /green strength
additive.
Their solvent resistance ensures thefunctionality of protective clothing. In theconstruction industry polyvinyl alcohol isa well used component in compounds asa film forming agent. In the application ofoil field cement polyvinyl alcohol significantly reduces fluid loss which prevents
defects in oil wells.

Building industry
Ceramic industry
Cosmetics
Detergent andcleaning agents
Dust binding
Electronic industry
Emulsion polymerization
Glass fiber
Granulation
Mortar, coatings,
tile adhesives
Oil field cementing
Paint industry
Paper industry
Pharmaceuticals
Photo sensitive
coatings
Plant protection
casings
Polyvinyl alcohol
sponges
Polyvinyl butyral
production
Protective andstrippable coatings
PVC compounding
PVC suspension/polymerisation
Textile non-wovens
Textile sizingThermoplastic
processing
Water-soluble
barrier coatings
Water-soluble films

Main application area
Possible application area

L-gradesspecialty
gradesdefoamed
gradesExceval™

Elvanol™

0L508
L9 W
-725 8-88
K25-98 L
3-8 R
622- SD88
17- SB
94
28-98
K
RS-17
RS 13-17
RS 17-28
RS 17 S
B21
AQ 17-41
H R 04-30
71- 10
30
90-50
T2
5T6
685-8275-15

fine powder grades low ash grades LM-grades

partially saponified grades

L1fully saponified grades

3-8
54-8 S488-8 S2818 S2-88
22- S288S
49-88 2S
56-98 2S
24-8
88-8 LA
840 LA-88
4-9 LA
856 LA-98
L
28- 99 A
LLMA
20LM
22LM
25LM
10HDL8L9A champion
in versatility

5-7
430-75
3-8
0
26-80
3280
40-80
E
48-80
5-8
23-8
54-8
54-8
86-8
88-881388
18-88
2288
26-883288
40-88
44-88
49-8895-88
30- 923-984-986-9
810-98
20-98
30-98
56-98
15- 9928- 991794
NA

Polyvinyl Alcohol