Definition

Noun: A toxic, colorless, highly flammable liquid with the chemical formula CS₂. It is an industrial chemical used primarily as a building block in manufacturing and as a solvent.

Usage and Examples

• As a chemical reagent in manufacturing: Carbon disulfide is a key raw material.
  • Example: The factory uses carbon disulfide in the production of viscose rayon.
• As an industrial solvent: It is employed to dissolve certain substances.
  • Example: In the past, carbon disulfide was a common solvent for rubber and fats.

Advanced Usage and Technical Context

• Chemical Properties: Carbon disulfide is volatile and has a sweet, ether-like odor at low concentrations, though the commercial product often has a foul smell due to impurities. It is denser than water and insoluble in it.
• Hazard and Safety: Its primary advanced usage involves strict handling protocols due to its toxicity (affecting the nervous system) and high flammability.
  • Example: Storage of carbon disulfide requires inert atmosphere padding due to its low ignition point.

Variants and Related Words

• Carbon Disulphide: A chiefly British English spelling variant.
• CS₂: The standard chemical formula abbreviation.

Synonyms and Related Terms

• Solvent: A substance that dissolves another. Carbon disulfide is a specific type of solvent.
• Chemical Intermediate: A compound consumed in the process of producing another. Carbon disulfide fits this role in chemical synthesis.

Notes on Different Meanings

This term has a single, specific meaning as a defined chemical compound. It is not used idiomatically or in common phrasal verbs.

Noun

1. a toxic colorless flammable liquid (CS2); used in the manufacture of rayon and cellophane and carbon tetrachloride and as a solvent for rubber