polytetrafluoroethylene

[pol-ee-te-truh-floo r-oh-eth-uh-leen, -flawr-, -flohr-]

noun Chemistry.

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.

Origin of polytetrafluoroethylene

First recorded in 1945–50; poly- + tetrafluoroethylene

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for polytetrafluoroethylene

polytetrafluoroethylene

noun

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

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 in Science

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.