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acrylic acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.
  1. a colorless, corrosive liquid, C 3 H 4 O 2 , having an acrid odor, usually derived from acrolein by oxidation: used especially in the synthesis of acrylic resins.


acrylic acid British  

noun

  1. Systematic name: propenoic acid.  a colourless corrosive pungent liquid, miscible with water, used in the manufacture of acrylic resins. Formula: CH 2 :CHCOOH

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

acrylic acid Scientific  
  1. A colorless, corrosive liquid that readily forms polymers. It is used to make plastics, paints, synthetic rubbers, and textiles. Chemical formula: C 3 H 4 O 2 .


Etymology

Origin of acrylic acid

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For one dispersion, the researchers coated the particles with the surfactant lauryl sulfate and polymerized acrylic acid, which together provide a negative charge in the neutral to alkaline pH range.

From Science Daily

Propene is turned into polypropylene, a plastic used in packaging and textiles, along with other polymer ingredients such as acrylic acid.

From Nature

The gel here, which is made of an acrylic acid polymer, acts as a scaffold to hold the structure in place during the printing process.

From The Verge

Diapers today are made from acrylic acid, which is then turned into a super-absorbent polymer, which is then formulated with other materials to make a diaper. 

From Forbes

The nascent U.S. gas-to-propylene industry is widely expected to further process its source of cheap feedstock into intermediates such as propylene oxide, acrylic acid and polypropylene in about three to five years.

From Reuters