adsorbent material
- noun
- /ˈædzɔːrbənt məˈtɪriəl/
- Specialized
- Carbon is a common adsorbent material used in air purification systems.
Examples
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To improve the quality of the water, they added an adsorbent material that could remove harmful chemicals.
-
As air is passed over the flowers, it picks up volatiles that are then captured on adsorbent material for later extraction.
Academic text (1994) -
The chemist used an adsorbent material to capture impurities from the solution.
Synonyms
A material that holds other substances on its surface
A material that soaks up liquids and gases
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase directly combines the adjective 'adsorbent' (a substance that adsorbs molecules onto a surface) with 'material', so the meaning 'a material that adsorbs another substance onto its surface' is compositionally derivable. Although technical, this follows standard adjective+noun composition and similar forms exist in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand it.
Etymology
Adsorbent material gives a clear image: adsorbent means 'to make things stick to a surface', so an adsorbent material is a substance whose surface catches and holds tiny particles like dust or gas. That's why it means 'a material that holds another substance on its surface'.