polytetrafluoroethylene
[pol-ee-te-truh-floo r-oh-eth-uh-leen, -flawr-, -flohr-]
- any polymer, plastic, or resin having the formula (C2F4)n, prepared from tetrafluoroethylene, noted for its slippery, nonsticking properties, and used in the manufacture of gaskets, electrical insulation, tubing, candy molds, container linings, frying-pan coatings, etc.
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Origin of polytetrafluoroethylene
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
polytetrafluoroethylene
- a white thermoplastic material with a waxy texture, made by polymerizing tetrafluoroethylene. It is nonflammable, resists chemical action and radiation, and has a high electrical resistance and an extremely low coefficient of friction. It is used for making gaskets, hoses, insulators, bearings, and for coating metal surfaces in chemical plants and in nonstick cooking vesselsAbbreviation: PTFE Also called (trademark): Teflon
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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
polytetrafluoroethylene
[pŏl′ē-tĕt′rə-flur′ō-ĕth′ə-lēn′, -flôr′-]
- A synthetic polymer consisting of a chain of fluorinated ethane units (C2F4). It is a thermoplastic resin that is resistant to heat and chemicals and has an extremely low coefficient of friction (resistance to objects sliding over its surface). It is used as a coating on cookware, gaskets, seals, and hoses.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.