- tetrafluoroethylene
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/te'treuh floor'oh eth"euh leen', -flawr'-, -flohr'-/, n. Chem.a colorless, water-insoluble, flammable gas, C2F4, used in the synthesis of certain polymeric resins, as Teflon.[1930-35; TETRA- + FLUORO- + ETHYLENE]
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a colourless, odourless, faintly toxic gas belonging to the family of organic halogen compounds; it is the starting material in the manufacture of polytetrafluoroethylene (q.v.), a valuable synthetic resin.Tetrafluoroethylene is produced by heating chlorodifluoromethane, which is made from chloroform by its reaction with hydrogen fluoride in the presence of antimony pentachloride; chlorodifluoromethane (known by several trade names, of which the oldest is Freon 22) is used as a refrigerant in small air conditioners. Tetrafluoroethylene is flammable and, under certain conditions, explosive. It is practically insoluble in water but is appreciably soluble in acetone.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
