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
adjective
2.
having the properties of a surfactant
Word origin
C20: surf(ace)-act(ive) a(ge)nt
Examples of 'surface-active agent' in a sentence
surface-active agent
No additional surface-active agent was used during the nanoformulation process.
Abdelhamid Nacereddine, Andre Bollacke, Eszter Róka, Christelle Marminon, ZouhairBouaziz, Ferenc Fenyvesi, Ildikó Katalin Bácskay, Joachim Jose, Florent Perret, MarcLe Borgne 2018, 'Self-Assembled Supramolecular Nanoparticles Improve the Cytotoxic Efficacy of CK2Inhibitor THN7', Pharmaceuticalshttp://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/11/1/10. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
Depending on the amounts of the surface-active agent and of the complexes, solutions, precipitates, or re-dissolution occur.
Franco Tardani, Camillo La Mesa 2015, 'Titration of DNA/Carbon Nanotube Complexes with Double-Chained Oppositely ChargedSurfactants', Nanomaterialshttp://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/5/2/722. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)