Stabilizing Soil Using Annealed Polyvinyl Alcohol as Long-lasting Binder

Abstract

Agricultural production heavily exploits the soil, resulting in high erosion in cultivated land, which poses a threat to food security and environmental sustainability. To address this issue, we stabilize the soil using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). PVA strongly adheres to the soil after mixing and annealing, enhancing the cohesive strength of the soil. The PVA-soil withstands the impact of water at 7 m/s, protecting it from rainfall-induced erosion. Furthermore, the water-retaining capability and drainage of PVA-soil can be adjusted based on its sizes. This customized PVA-soil provides optimal growing conditions for various plants in different climates. Our method contributes to improved soil management and conversion.