Virginia Tech scientists chemically convert PVC into PAO lubricant base
Scientists at Virginia Tech have figured out how to turn tricky-to-recycle PVC plastic (think pipes and credit cards) into PAO, a high-performance material used as a base component in high-performance lubricants including engine oil.
Instead of just melting it down, they actually break the plastic apart at the chemical level, solving problems caused by chlorine and additives in PVC.
Their findings just dropped in Nature this August.
Guoliang Liu team creates oil-like product
Led by Guoliang "Greg" Liu, the team mixed PVC with a solvent and other chemicals, then heated it up to make an oil-like product.
Researchers from Texas A&M and Caltech worked with the team to determine whether this new oil could perform as a lubricant.
There are still some hurdles before this can go big, like dealing with leftover chlorine, but if they crack it, we could see less plastic waste and more eco-friendly lubricants in engines everywhere.