Poly(4-vinylphenol), also called polyvinylphenol or PVP, is a plastic structurally similar to

polystyrene Polystyrene (PS) is a synthetic polymer made from monomers of the aromatic hydrocarbon styrene. Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a ...

. It is produced from the monomer 4-vinylphenol, which is also referred to as 4-hydroxystyrene. PVP is used in electronics as a dielectric layer in organic transistors in organic TFT LCD displays. Thin films of cross-linked PVP can be used in this application, often in combination with pentacene. By varying the dielectric properties of PVP, the field-effect mobility of the TFTs can be tuned. Other applications include its use in photoresist materials, dielectric materials for energy storage, water-resistant adhesives and antimicrobial coatings. PVP, when mixed with a polyelectrolyte, has been demonstrated to moderately inhibit the growth of microorganisms. PVP has also been employed in gas sensors, such as by mixing polymer- carbon black with PVP to analyse organic solvents. PVP brushes are able to sense toxic gases such as

hydrogen sulfide Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is poisonous, corrosive, and flammable, with trace amounts in ambient atmosphere having a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. The unde ...

with microgravimetric techniques. Molecularly Imprinted Poly-4-vinylphenol can be produced for the selective electrochemical detection of small molecules, such as

cotinine Cotinine is an alkaloid found in tobacco and is also the predominant metabolite of nicotine. An anagram of the word "nicotine", it is used as a biomarker for exposure to tobacco smoke. Cotinine is currently being studied as a treatment for depr ...

nicotine Nicotine is a naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and ''Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As a pharmaceutical drug, it is used fo ...

. PVP is typically prepared by free radical polymerization of 4-vinylphenol or a protected form of 4-vinylphenol. The protected monomers can be prepared from 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, by vinylation of phenols, or acylation of polystyrene followed by oxidation at room temperature. If poly(4-methoxystyrene) is produced, the methoxy group can be cleaved by treating it with trimethylsilyliodide. There are several patents on the synthesis of 4-hydroxystyrene due its importance in the development of photoresist materials. RAFT polymerization can be used to prepare well-defined PVP chains. This can be done by mediating free radical polymerization of acetoxystyrene, which is then followed by deacetylation. Nitroxide mediated polymerization can also be used to prepare polyacetoxystyrene, which can transformed in polyphenols by UV irradiation. ATRP can also be used for the preparation of defined block copolymers of PVP, by polymerization of 4-acetoxystyrene that is subsequently selectively hydrolysed.

References

{{reflist Organic polymers Plastics Vinyl polymers

See also

References