Hydrin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A synthetic elastomer produced by polymerizing epichlorohydrin, valued for its resistance to oil, heat, and ozone
2. An oil- and heat-resistant rubber material manufactured from epichlorohydrin and used in seals, hoses, and gaskets
3. A specialty polymer rubber made from epichlorohydrin that withstands fuels, high temperatures, and weathering in industrial parts

Etymology: Most people meet "hydrin" only as a trade name. It is the brand name for a family of synthetic rubbers made from epichlorohydrin, used for seals and hoses that must resist oil and heat, especially in cars. The name is a clipped piece of chemistry: "epichlorohydrin" is itself built from "epi-", "chlor-" and "-hydrin", and the "-hydrin" element marks a compound related to glycerin, a three-carbon alcohol. The "hydr-" in it points to water, since such compounds contain hydroxyl (water-derived) groups. The rubber was named as a product, so its name is a coinage rather than an old word with a long history. Chemists used "-hydrin" as a naming element in this sense, and the commercial name borrowed the ending from them. The exact date when the chemical element was first coined is uncertain, so I would not give a precise year for it.