fluorocarbon

[ floor-oh-kahr-buhn, flawr-, flohr- ]

/ ˈflʊər oʊˌkɑr bən, ˈflɔr-, ˈfloʊr- /

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noun Chemistry.

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.

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Compare chlorofluorocarbon, chlorofluoromethane.

Origin of fluorocarbon

First recorded in 1935–40; fluoro- + carbon

Words nearby fluorocarbon

fluorinate, fluorine, fluorine dating, fluorite, fluoro-, fluorocarbon, fluorochemical, fluorochrome, fluorography, fluorometer, fluorometry

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use fluorocarbon in a sentence

Nylon monofilament, fluorocarbon, and so-called “superline” give fishermen tremendous advantages in strength, visibility, and ease of use.
The strongest fishing knots you can tie|By John Merwin/Field & Stream|March 2, 2021|Popular-Science
The J knot is difficult to tie, but if you’re using a fluorocarbon leader, you are obviously concerned about visibility and shouldn’t go the Palomar-to-a-barrel-swivel route as explained above.
The strongest fishing knots you can tie|By John Merwin/Field & Stream|March 2, 2021|Popular-Science

British Dictionary definitions for fluorocarbon

fluorocarbon

/ (ˌflʊərəʊˈkɑːbən) /

noun

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 coatingsSee 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

Scientific definitions for fluorocarbon

fluorocarbon

[ flur′ō-kär′bən ]

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.