Gelvatol Recipe (courtesy of Goldman's Lab):

Step I
Make 100 ml solution of: 0.14M NaCl
0.01M KH2PO4/Na2HPO4, pH 7.2
To the 100 ml solution, slowly add 25 g polyvinyl alcohol** while stirring (total volume will be more than 100ml)
Stir over night
Adjust pH to 7.2 the next day.

Step II
Add 50ml Glycerol to the solution above and stir over night (at least 16 Hours)
Spin to remove undissolved particles
Make aliquots
Store airtight, at least 4 C or colder.

Store opened vials at RT.

Before use: Add Dabco (Sigma) 100mg/ml final concentration. Vortex well, then spin down in microfuge for 10 min at full speed. Do skip the centrifugation step. You need to get rid of all the bubbles trapped in the viscous Gelvatol.

 

** polyvinyl alcohol can be obtained for free from Air Products:
vinol: poly vinyl alcohol resin
grade: 205

Air Products
7201 Hamilton Boulevard
Allentown, PA 18195-1501
Telephone: (610) 481-4911
Fax: (610) 481-5900
E-mail: info@apci.com

They give it out for free because they only sell industrial quantity of this compound. So their one pound size shipments are considered free samples.