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fluorocarbon

American  
[floor-oh-kahr-buhn, flawr-, flohr-] / ˈflʊər oʊˌkɑr bən, ˈflɔr-, ˈfloʊr- /

noun

Chemistry.
  1. any of a class of compounds produced by substituting fluorine for hydrogen in a hydrocarbon, and characterized by great chemical stability: used chiefly as a lubricant, refrigerant, fire extinguishing agent, and in industrial and other applications in which chemical, electrical, flame, and heat resistance is essential; banned as an aerosol propellant in the U.S. because of concern about ozone layer depletion.


fluorocarbon British  
/ ˌflʊərəʊˈkɑːbən /

noun

  1. any compound derived by replacing all or some of the hydrogen atoms in hydrocarbons by fluorine atoms. Many of them are used as lubricants, solvents, and coatings See also Freon polytetrafluoroethylene CFC

"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

fluorocarbon Scientific  
/ flr′ō-kärbən /
  1. An inert, liquid or gaseous organic compound similar to a hydrocarbon but having fluorine atoms in the place of hydrogen atoms. Fluorocarbons are used in aerosol propellants and refrigerants.


Etymology

Origin of fluorocarbon

First recorded in 1935–40; fluoro- + carbon

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.

See Examples For:

After it was discovered that fluorocarbon wax is toxic, the sport has been trying to move away from it.

From Seattle Times Jan. 26, 2022

Some use fluorocarbon leaders as light as 15-pound test to tie their egg leaders.

From Seattle Times Sep. 25, 2016

The best-known fluorocarbon is Freon, a DuPont product.

From New York Times Feb. 24, 2011

To target them in this situation, free-line abait back on a 20-pound-test spinning outfit rigged with 50-pound fluorocarbon leader, with just enough weight to take the bait slowly down through the current.

From Time Magazine Archive

The modern space suit is made of woven lux metal wires of extremely small diameter and airproofed with a rubberoid fluorocarbon plastic, and furnished with air and heating units.

From Islands of Space by John Wood Campbell

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