Discarded PVC from pipes, window frames, and even credit cards could become a useful ingredient in synthetic lubricants instead of ending up in a landfill. Virginia Tech chemist and chemical engineer Guoliang 鈥淕reg鈥� Liu and his laboratory have developed a process that converts polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into polyalphaolefin, a major component of lubricants such as engine oil.
The work, published August 5, 2026, in Nature, could address two related environmental problems by finding a new use for one of the most difficult plastics to recycle while producing a valuable industrial material. PVC is particularly challenging to recycle because it contains chlorine and can include different additives depending on the manufacturer. Much of the discarded material consequently goes to landfills.
Lubricants present a separate environmental challenge. Products such as engine oil are costly to produce from an environmental perspective, while demand continues to grow. Turning waste PVC into an important lubricant ingredient could therefore reduce plastic waste while creating a higher value product.