Characteristic rheological responses of PVA solutions in water-containing solvents

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a semicrystalline polymer whose hydroxyl groups produce inter-and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The extent of hydrogen bonding is greatly affected by stereoregularity of hydroxyl groups, so-called tacticity, of PVA[1-3]. Hydrogen bonding has a profound effect on the rheological and mechanical properties of the polymer, which is largely determined by the density and spatial arrangement of hydroxyl groups. (omitted)