Over 400,000 tons of polyvinyl alcohol are produced each year, in many grades, for use in diverse applications. This volume includes major revisions and expansion of previous information on the synthesis, industrial production methods and the physical, chemical and spectroscopic properties of the polymers, including polyvinyl butyrals, recently developed functional polymers and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers. A chapter by Russian authors describes unique features of production and technology in the former Soviet Union.