Why is polyvinyl acetate so viscous?
If you are asking about the bulk polymer, all polymers are viscous in the melt state because of their large molecular weights and chain entanglements, which hinders fluid flow. If you are asking about polyvinyl acetate latex, which is what white glues such as Elmer’s Glue is made of, it is because the polyvinyl acetate particles in the latex are stabilized on their surfaces by poly(vinyl alcohol). This stabilization system is quite viscous because it is itself a polymer that is soluble in water, increasing the viscosity relative to emulsions that are stabilized by surfactants and detergents.
