tetrachloroethylene

/te'treuh klawr'oh eth"euh leen', -klohr'-/, n. Chem.

a colorless, nonflammable, nonexplosive liquid, C₂Cl₄, used as a solvent, esp. in dry cleaning. Also called perchloroethylene.

[1910-15; TETRA- + CHLOROETHYLENE]

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▪ chemical compound

also called  perchloroethylene 

 a colourless, dense, nonflammable, highly stable liquid belonging to the family of organic halogen compounds. Tetrachloroethylene is a powerful solvent for many organic substances. By the mid-20th century it had become the most widely used solvent in dry cleaning (displacing carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene) and was also commonly used for cleaning metal objects in vapour-degreasing apparatuses. Its broad acceptance has been based upon its nonflammability and low toxicity. Small quantities are also employed as a vermifuge, particularly against hookworm (see photograph—>).

      Tetrachloroethylene was first prepared in 1821 by the English physicist Michael Faraday; (Faraday, Michael) it has been commercially manufactured since about 1910, mostly from trichloroethylene. Tetrachloroethylene is denser than water and practically insoluble in it.

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