Complex of polyvinyl alcohol with boric acid: Structure and use

The investigation of a structure of the complex of polyvinyl alcohol and boric acid was carried out by means of IR and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and quantum mechanical calculations. The formation of inorganic polymeric chains (-O-B(OH)-)(n) within a hybrid interpolymeric complex with PVA is substantiated. Most convincingly this conclusion is supported by PVA-boric acid complex's Raman spectrum. It consists of super-position of slightly changed PVA spectrum and strongly changed boric acid spectrum. It means that boric acid structure is changed significantly within the complex and PVA structure is not changed. Observed and calculated frequencies are in good agreement. Also the structural-sensitive theoretical neutron shielding ability of the complex is analyzed. It was found better than known one.