Scientists turn one of the world’s hardest-to-recycle plastics into high-performance engine lubricant, giving stubborn PVC waste a valuable second life |
One of the world’s most difficult plastics to recycle could soon have a far more valuable second life. Scientists at Virginia Tech have developed a chemical method that converts polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, into polyalphaolefin, an important material used in high-performance lubricants including engine oil. The approach tackles a longstanding problem with PVC, which is…