5 ms·

>PVA is polyvinyl alcohol. I'd imagine this is a context-dependent acronym. Certainly, in public in the UK PVA refers to acetate, because it's a shorthand for

>PVA is polyvinyl alcohol. I'd imagine this is a context-dependent acronym. Certainly, in public in the UK PVA refers to acetate, because it's a shorthand for glue.

mchannon 9y ago
The context in this case being the original posted article, which is polyvinyl alcohol, not acetate.
- neltnerb 9y ago
  Both PVA's are steps in the synthesis so it's extra amusing this time. The vinyl acetate is polymerized to polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and then converted into an alcohol (also PVA) because the vinyl alcohol monomer isn't stable enough. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_alcohol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_alcohol
  - mchannon 9y ago
    Amazing but true. The scrawl on the board shows how they make vinyl monomers out of acetic acid derived from their carbide process, then PVAcetate, then PVAlcohol. This whole article reminded me of paper made out of rock. Depressingly, it's still a fuel-based product. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_paper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_paper
    - neltnerb 9y ago
      Yeah, I developed chemical processes to make monomers in my last job and was still surprised that they start from coal to do this. I didn't even realize there was a process from coal to acetylene, I just took it for granted that acetylene and acetate generally start from distillate or natural gas unless some bio-source is extremely convenient. (from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylene#Preparation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylene#Preparation) "Until the 1950s, when oil supplanted coal as the chief source of reduced carbon, acetylene (and the aromatic fraction from coal tar) was the main source of organic chemicals in the chemical industry. It was prepared by the hydrolysis of calcium carbide, a reaction discovered by Friedrich Wöhler in 1862[17] and still familiar to students: CaC2 + 2H2O → Ca(OH)2 + C2H2 Calcium carbide production requires extremely high temperatures, ~2000°C, necessitating the use of an electric arc furnace. In the US, this process was an important part of the late-19th century revolution in chemistry enabled by the massive hydroelectric power project at Niagara Falls."
      - jaclaz 9y ago
        Well, till not so long ago (the 1950s and 1960s) it was not so uncommon in rural areas (not served by electricity or gas) to have carbide lamps as a source of lighting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbide_lamp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbide_lamp

>PVA is polyvinyl alcohol. I'd imagine this is a context-dependent acronym. Certainly, in public in the UK PVA refers to acetate, because it's a shorthand for glue.

mchannon 9y ago

The context in this case being the original posted article, which is polyvinyl alcohol, not acetate.

neltnerb 9y ago
Both PVA's are steps in the synthesis so it's extra amusing this time. The vinyl acetate is polymerized to polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and then converted into an alcohol (also PVA) because the vinyl alcohol monomer isn't stable enough. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_alcohol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_alcohol
- mchannon 9y ago
  Amazing but true. The scrawl on the board shows how they make vinyl monomers out of acetic acid derived from their carbide process, then PVAcetate, then PVAlcohol. This whole article reminded me of paper made out of rock. Depressingly, it's still a fuel-based product. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_paper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_paper
  - neltnerb 9y ago
    Yeah, I developed chemical processes to make monomers in my last job and was still surprised that they start from coal to do this. I didn't even realize there was a process from coal to acetylene, I just took it for granted that acetylene and acetate generally start from distillate or natural gas unless some bio-source is extremely convenient. (from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylene#Preparation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylene#Preparation) "Until the 1950s, when oil supplanted coal as the chief source of reduced carbon, acetylene (and the aromatic fraction from coal tar) was the main source of organic chemicals in the chemical industry. It was prepared by the hydrolysis of calcium carbide, a reaction discovered by Friedrich Wöhler in 1862[17] and still familiar to students: CaC2 + 2H2O → Ca(OH)2 + C2H2 Calcium carbide production requires extremely high temperatures, ~2000°C, necessitating the use of an electric arc furnace. In the US, this process was an important part of the late-19th century revolution in chemistry enabled by the massive hydroelectric power project at Niagara Falls."
    - jaclaz 9y ago
      Well, till not so long ago (the 1950s and 1960s) it was not so uncommon in rural areas (not served by electricity or gas) to have carbide lamps as a source of lighting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbide_lamp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbide_lamp