propylene

[ proh-puh-leen ]

adjective

1. containing the propylene group.

noun

1. Also a colorless, flammable gas, C 3 H 6 , of the olefin series: used chiefly in organic synthesis.

propylene

/ ˈprəʊpɪˌliːn /

noun

1. another name for propene

propylene

/ prō′pə-lēn′ /

1. A flammable gas produced by cracking (breaking down) petroleum and used to make plastics and isopropyl alcohol. Propylene is the second member of the alkene series. Also called propene. Chemical formula: C 3 H 6 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of propylene¹

First recorded in 1840–50; propyl + -ene

Word History and Origins

Origin of propylene¹

C19: from propyl + -ene

Example Sentences

N95, KN95, and surgical masks are made of multi-layered propylene plastic, which is better than cotton and other woven fabrics at filtering out the small aerosolized particles that carry the coronavirus through the air.

From Popular-Science

One key ingredient of the stuff: Propylene glycol, a synthetic liquid that absorbs water.

From The Daily Beast

Propylene glycol is used for a variety of industrial, cosmetic, and food production uses.

From The Daily Beast

The European formula for Fireball has even less: under one gram per kilogram of propylene glycol.

From The Daily Beast

Propylene glycol has been used as the base for fog machine liquids and in nebulizers for decades.

From The Daily Beast

The major point is that we have no studies that show the safety of propylene glycol when inhaled over the long term.

From The Daily Beast

Tests have shown that, insofar as ease of detonation is concerned, 1,2-butylene oxide is similar to propylene 30 oxide.

From Project Gutenberg

Insofar as ease of detonation is concerned, 1,2-butylene oxide has about 65 the same explosive limits as propylene oxide.

From Project Gutenberg

One drawback, common to both ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, is toxicity.

From Project Gutenberg

Propylene oxide is less toxic than ethylene oxide but is still highly toxic.

From Project Gutenberg