asphaltene

English

Etymology

From asphalt +‎ -ene (“benzene”).

Noun

asphaltene (plural asphaltenes)

1. (organic chemistry) Any of the dark organic constituents of crude oils and bitumen that are soluble in aromatic solvents but not in aliphatic ones; they are polycyclic aromatic compounds (composed of fused benzene rings) with aliphatic side chains
   • 1979, Perry Nowacki, Coal liquefaction processes - Volume 131, page 157:

     In the deasphalter the more polar asphaltenes form a second liquid phase which effectively agglomerates the solids in the oil feed.

Related terms

• asphaltenic
• preasphaltene

Translations

dark organic constituents of crude oils

• Catalan: asfaltè m
• Polish: asfalten m
• Spanish: asfalteno m