wetting agent

wet·ting agent   (wět'ĭng) n.  A substance that reduces the surface tension of a liquid, causing the liquid to spread across or penetrate more easily the surface of a solid.

Main Entry: wetting agent
Function: noun
: any of numerous water-soluble or liquid organic substances that promote spreading of a liquid on a surface or penetration intoa material especially by their oriented adsorption on the surfaces in such a way that the wetting liquid is no longer repelled and that are used especially in mixing solids with liquids or spreadingliquids on surfaces

wetting agent

chemical substance that increases the spreading and penetrating properties of a liquid by lowering its surface tension-that is, the tendency of its molecules to adhere to each other. See detergent; surface-active agent

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