• Fractionation

    Full definition of fractionation

    Noun

    fractionation

    (countable and uncountable; plural fractionations)
    1. (chemistry) A separation process in which a certain quantity of a mixture is divided up into smaller quantities (fractions) in which the composition changes according to a gradient.Methane is separated from other hydrocarbons in a gas fractionation plant.
    2. (cryptography) A preliminary stage of encryption that divides each plaintext symbol into several ciphertext symbols.
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