surfactant

American  

[ser-fak-tuhnt] / sərˈfæk tənt /

noun

Chemistry.

1. surface-active agent.

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surfactant British  

/ sɜːˈfæktənt /

noun

1. Also called: surface-active agent.  a substance, such as a detergent, that can reduce the surface tension of a liquid and thus allow it to foam or penetrate solids; a wetting agent

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adjective

1. having the properties of a surfactant

surfactant Scientific  

/ sər-făk′tənt /

1. A substance that, when dissolved in water, lowers the surface tension of the water and increases the solubility of organic compounds. Surfactants are used in inks to increase the effects of capillary action; detergents are surfactants that help remove organic compounds from a substance by making them dissolve more readily in the water in which the substance is washed.

2. A substance composed of lipoprotein that is secreted by the alveolar cells of the lung and maintains the stability of pulmonary tissue by reducing the surface tension of fluids that coat the lung.

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Etymology

Origin of surfactant

1945–50; shortening of surf(ace)-act(ive) a(ge)nt

Example Sentences

To build MOCHI, researchers combined surfactant molecules with a liquid mixture.

From Science Daily

"Tripel" beers again stand apart, with bubble dynamics resembling those of simple surfactants, the molecules commonly used to stabilize foams in everyday products.

From Science Daily

To prevent the exposed two-dimensional sheets from curling up, a surfactant was added.

From Science Daily

Palashuddin hopes to use his team's nonmetallic dots to identify and separate the various pollutants in the river, including pesticides, surfactants, metal ions, antibiotics and dyes.

From Science Daily

It is the amount of lysolipid that determines the outcome of the surfactant in the lungs, not the breakdown of the existing lung surfactant.

From Science Daily