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Glite Dictionary
tetrafluoroethylene

tetrafluoroethylene

9.9
A flammable gas used to make plastics like Teflon
  • noun
  • /ˌtɛtrəˌflʊəroʊˈɛθɪliːn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tetrafluoroetileno
  • The chemical tetrafluoroethylene is crucial for producing non-stick cookware like Teflon.

Examples

  • When heated, tetrafluoroethylene can become a flammable gas that is used in making various plastics.

  • Scientists are exploring the use of tetrafluoroethylene in new lightweight materials for industrial applications.

  • Key features that are expected to help the new building qualify for LEED silver are a climate control system using chilled beams and an atrium roof of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, or ETFE.

    Academic text (2010)

Surface Forms

tetrafluoroethylene singular
tetrafluoroethylenes plural

Morphology

tetrafluoroethylene = fluoroethylene (opaque) = tetra + fluoro + ethylene

The final operation is adding the numeric chemical prefix 'tetra-' to a technical base; the term uses specialized chemical combining forms unfamiliar to average B1 learners, so the meaning is not readily derivable.

Etymology

Tetrafluoroethylene breaks into three parts: tetra- 'four', fluoro- from fluorine, the element behind 'fluoride' in toothpaste, and -ethylene 'a simple two-carbon gas'. So the name really means 'ethylene with four fluorine atoms', which explains why this gas is used to make plastics like Teflon that resist heat and chemicals.