Now, a new process upcycles polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into polyalphaolefin, which is a primary ingredient in synthetic lubricants, including the motor oil powering car engines, lawn mowers, and jet turbines. The development by Virginia Tech offers a solution for reducing PVC waste and producing environmentally friendly industrial oils. Cleaning up PVC PVC is a commonly found in plumbing, window frames, and credit cards. To verify the lubricant’s performance, Liu sent oil samples to friction experts at Texas A&M University. Demand continues to climb globally, making sustainable synthetic oil an attractive target for industrial markets.