PAOs are traditionally known and used for their "problem-solving" abilities. That's because polyalpholefins are impurity-free and contain only well-defined hydrocarbon molecules with specific performance properties.

PAOs are made from an intentional process of oligomerizing alpha olefins for targeted performance properties. Refined and hydrocracked mineral oils contain sulfurs, aromatics and other foreign compounds that are not discernable in polyalphaolefins. This provides several advantages, which can be illustrated by Gas Chromatography (GC).

GC shows considerable difference between the mineral oil and the PAO. As can be seen in the chart below, the mineral oil has both lighter and heavier components than the PAO. The lighter material causes poorer volatility, as well as lower flash and fire points. The heavier material adversely affects low-temperature performance and pour point.