eutectic
/juːˈtɛktɪk
/Chemistry
adjective
Relating to or denoting a mixture of substances (in fixed proportions) that melts and freezes at a single temperature that is lower than the melting points of the separate constituents or of any other mixture of them: the eutectic mixture melts at 183°C silver and copper form a eutectic system...
- A eutectic mixture has a melting point below room temperature; therefore, both local anesthetics exist as a liquid oil rather than as crystals.
- When the temperature has been lowered sufficiently, the remaining liquid solidifies as a eutectic structure of austenite and graphite.
- All children were given a patch of eutectic mixture of local anesthetic, because midazolam does not have analgesic properties, and later were given the nasal spray.
noun
1A eutectic mixture.The structure is illustrated in Fig.4 from the Cast Iron article which shows the structure of the phosphide eutectic, together with graphite, ferrite and pearlite....
- When the metastable path is followed, the rich carbon phase in the eutectic is the iron carbide; when the stable solidification path is followed, the rich carbon phase is graphite.
- All the phases formed tend to concentrate at the grain boundaries, in the form of complex eutectics, more or less coupled.
1.1 short for eutectic point.
Origin
Late 19th century: from Greek eutēktos 'easily melting', from eu 'well, easily' + tēkein 'melt'.