Polyvinylpyrrolidone K90 ( PVP K90 ), with its unique polymer properties, plays a key role in many fields. The synthesis process of PVP is shown in the figure below:
1. Medical field: the key adjuvant for preparation optimization and health security
(1) Tablet adhesive
In pharmaceutical formulation production, PVP K90 demonstrates remarkable effectiveness as a tablet binder. Its high viscosity ensures tight compaction of drug powders, maintaining tablet integrity throughout manufacturing and storage. Compared to other binders, PVP K90 provides optimal tablet hardness that prevents cracking during transportation while enabling rapid disintegration in the gastrointestinal tract for effective drug release. For instance, when added to compound cold medicines (typically 1%-3% of total tablet weight), PVP K90 enhances tablet formation, allowing patients to precisely absorb active ingredients and accelerate recovery.
(2) Solubilizer
Many drugs suffer from poor water solubility, which significantly affects bioavailability. PVP K90 serves as an effective solubilizer to address this challenge. By forming complexes with poorly soluble medications, it enhances their water solubility. For instance, the antifungal drug griseofulvin, when solubilized with PVP K90, enables better dissolution and absorption in oral formulations. This improvement boosts therapeutic efficacy while reducing dosage and dosing frequency, thereby alleviating patients' medication burden.
(3) Coating material
PVP K90 serves multiple functions in pharmaceutical coating systems. As a sustained-release coating material, it regulates drug release rates to prolong therapeutic effects. For cardiovascular medications, PVP K90-coated sustained-release tablets enable gradual and stable drug release, maintaining stable blood concentration levels. This reduces post-administration fluctuations in drug levels, thereby enhancing medication safety and convenience. When used as an enteric coating, it protects drugs from gastric acid degradation, ensuring smooth intestinal delivery while protecting the gastric mucosa and guaranteeing effective absorption.
(4) Disinfectant and wound care
The addition of PVP K90 to disinfectant formulations enhances both stability and adhesion. Its excellent film-forming properties create a protective layer on surfaces, extending the disinfection duration. In wound care applications, PVP K90's biocompatibility reduces irritation to affected areas. Products containing this compound establish a moist healing environment that accelerates recovery, minimizes infection risks, and are widely used in various wound treatment scenarios.
2. Cosmetics: important ingredients to improve quality and efficacy
(1) Hair products
In hair care products like shampoos and conditioners, PVP K90 delivers multifunctional benefits. As a thickening agent, it regulates product viscosity to ensure easier squeezing and application. When incorporated into premium shampoo formulations, an appropriate amount of PVP K90 enhances texture with richer, smoother consistency while improving user experience. Additionally, it forms a protective film on the scalp surface, boosting hair flexibility and shine. This formulation improves hair quality by reducing static electricity and splitting, making hair easier to comb through.
(2) Skincare products
In skincare formulations, PVP K90 serves as a film-forming agent and moisturizer. When incorporated into emulsions, creams, and similar products, it creates a breathable protective layer on the skin's surface to prevent moisture loss and enhance hydration. For skincare products emphasizing long-lasting hydration, adding PVP K90 improves the skin's water retention capacity, maintaining its moisture balance. Additionally, this compound strengthens the stability of active ingredients in skincare products, promotes absorption, and elevates overall efficacy.
(3) Cosmetics
In cosmetic formulations, PVP K90 enhances product adhesion and longevity. When incorporated into lipsticks, it improves lipstick adhesion to lips, reducing smudging. For foundation and eyeshadow products, it boosts pigment dispersion and stability, ensuring more uniform and lasting color coverage while elevating overall makeup quality and visual effects.
Third, coating and ink industry: the key additive for performance optimization
(1) Paint industry
In paint production, PVP K90 serves as a crucial thickener and dispersant. As a thickener, it effectively regulates paint viscosity to prevent sagging during application, ensuring uniform and smooth coating. When incorporated into exterior wall coatings, PVP K90 guarantees consistent thickness and an aesthetically pleasing finish after application. Acting as a dispersant, it ensures even distribution of pigments and fillers within the coating system, preventing agglomeration and sedimentation. This enhances overall stability, improves color uniformity, and boosts both the hiding power and decorative appeal of the coating.
(2) Ink industry
In the ink industry, PVP K90 is primarily used as a thickener and adhesion promoter. When incorporated into printing inks, it regulates rheological properties to ensure even ink transfer during printing, resulting in clear and high-quality printed patterns. Additionally, it enhances adhesion between the ink and printing materials, prevents ink peeling, and improves print quality and durability. This versatile additive is widely applied in packaging printing, advertising printing, and related fields.
IV. Other industrial fields: Versatile players help industrial upgrading
(1) Adhesive industry
PVP K90 significantly enhances adhesive strength and water resistance in adhesives. When incorporated into wood adhesives, it strengthens the bond between wood components, improving structural integrity and stability in furniture, flooring, and other wooden products. In formulations designed for humid environments, PVP K90 effectively improves water resistance, ensuring sustained adhesion even when exposed to moisture over extended periods.
(2) Electronic materials industry
PVP K90 also finds applications in electronic material manufacturing. During photoresist production, it serves as an additive to enhance material properties and improve lithographic pattern resolution, meeting the high-precision requirements of semiconductor chip manufacturing. In electronic packaging materials, adding PVP K90 strengthens the bond between packaging components and electronic devices, thereby improving device stability and reliability.
Polyvinylpyrrolidone K90 plays an indispensable role in many industries. With the progress of technology and industry development, its application fields are expected to be further expanded, injecting new impetus into the innovation and upgrading of various industries.
