Polyvinylpyrrolidone

PVP has biocompatibility, low toxicity, adhesive characteristics, complexing stability, relatively inert behavior, and is resistant to thermal degradation. It is readily prepared by the polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone or by Reppe synthesis technique.

PVP is one of the constituents used in the synthesis and coating of silver nanocubes. It serves as a reducing agent and colloidal stabilizer in the synthesis of palladium nanobars, triangular,nanoplates,twinned nanorods and bipyramids. It is also used as a capping agent in the synthesis of silver nanospheres,gold nanoframes. General applications of PVP are: in pharmaceutical, food, beverage, cosmetic, toiletry and photographic industries.

Polyvinylpyrrolidone is a component of Denhardt′s Solution and is included at a concentration of 1% (w/v) in the standard 50X stock solution.