Polyvinyl alcohol (Mw 146000-186000, 87-89% hydrolyzed) is a polymer characterized by its molecular weight of 146000-186000 and hydrolysis properties. The degree of hydrolysis indicates the conversion rate of acetate groups in the original polyvinyl acetate to hydroxyl groups. This chemical is created by polymerizing vinyl acetate, followed by the hydrolysis which removes acetate groups to yield polyvinyl alcohol. With a hydrolysis degree of 87-89%, a significant portion of acetate groups is replaced with hydroxyl groups. Polyvinyl alcohol with different degrees of hydrolysis is used in applications such as self-crosslinking cold-set gels and as a biological excipient.