moderant

See also: modérant

English

Noun

moderant (plural moderants)

1. Something that moderates. Most commonly used in connection with explosives or chemistry.
   • 1898, John Wade, Introduction to the Study of Organic Chemistry: A Text-book for Students in the Universitites and Technical Schools, Swan Sonnenschein, page 182:

     It partially dissolves in nitro-glycerine to a gelatinous mass, which, when mixed with castor-oil as a moderant, or with vaseline as a lubricant, forms a valuable “high” explosive—maximite, cordite.

   • 1946, Colonel Townsend Whelan, Small Arms Design and Ballistics, volume II Ballistics, Small Arms Technical Publishing Company, page 20:

     The moderants used in many nitro-cellulose powders tend to cooler burning and reduce the rate of erosion.

   • 1962 December 14, Classification Bulletin of the United States Patent Office, Class 165, Heat Exchange, pages 176-26:

     When only a liquid coolant is disclosed and there is nothing to infer that the reaction is unmoderated (fast reactor), the liquid coolant will be interpreted as also serving as a moderant (unless by its very nature or chemical make-up it cannot so function).

Catalan

Verb

moderant

1. gerund of moderar

Latin

Verb

moderant

1. third-person plural present active indicative of moderō