Polyvinylpyrrolidone is used to make hair sprays, shampoos, plasma substitutes, detergents and adhesives. It is also used in hair dyes, clarifying agents in wine, beer, and juices, thickeners in inks and paints, water binding agents and protective colloids. It finds application as a special additive for batteries, ceramics, fiberglass, inks, and inkjet, an inhibitor of recrystallisation and to increase resolution in photoresists for cathode ray tubes. Further, it is used for gene delivery. In addition to this, it is used as a pharmaceutical aid, complexing agent and solubilizer.

This Thermo Scientific Chemicals brand product was originally part of the Alfa Aesar product portfolio. Some documentation and label information may refer to the legacy brand. The original Alfa Aesar product / item code or SKU reference has not changed as a part of the brand transition to Thermo Scientific Chemicals.