Maleic anhydride-methyl vinyl ether copolymer

Maleic anhydride-methyl vinyl ether copolymer (CAS 9011-16-9), commercially known as PVM/MA copolymer, is an alternating copolymer used across industrial formulations as a rheology modifier, dispersant, and surface-active binder.

Its reactive anhydride groups allow crosslinking or functionalization on contact with amines, alcohols, or water, making it a formulation-active ingredient rather than an inert additive.

In coatings and adhesives, it functions as a film-forming binder and adhesion promoter, improving substrate wetting and coating uniformity on difficult surfaces during the application process.

Home care and industrial cleaning formulations use it to suspend particulates, stabilize emulsions, and prevent soil redeposition on hard surfaces for enhanced cleaning efficiency and performance.

Textile and paper processing operations apply it as a sizing agent and surface modifier, where its reactivity with fiber hydroxyl groups improves overall strength and final printability.

In personal care-adjacent industrial applications, it acts as a thickener and film former in hair fixative and topical delivery systems formulated at a large industrial scale for consistency.

Supplied as a white to off-white powder in a range of molecular weight grades, with viscosity specifications used to differentiate performance tiers for specific manufacturing requirements.

Both anhydrous and half-ester variants are commercially available, with the hydrolyzed form offering water solubility. Technical and specialty grades are standard for industrial buyers.