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catalyst Definition

cata·lyst (kat′ə list′)

noun

  1. any substance serving as the agent in catalysis
  2. a person or thing acting as the stimulus in bringing about or hastening a result

catalyst Related Forms

cat′a·lyt′ic (-lit′ik) adjective cat′a·lyt′i·cally adverb

catalyst Synonyms

catalyst

n.

  1. A substance that permits or accelerates a chemical reaction

    enzyme, reactant, synergist, catalytic agent, chemical reactor.

  2. A person or thing acting as a stimulus

    spur, impetus, instigator; see agitator, incentive.

catalyst Usage Examples

Converse of object

prove: Contact has proved the catalyst for me to question all my beliefs to ask what is the nature of personal reality?

Preposition: for

  • regeneration: Acting as a catalyst for wider regeneration by building property market confidence.
  • renaissance: The overall message is that urban waterfronts can provide the catalyst for urban renaissance and that the tide is turning.
  • redevelopment: The catalyst for the redevelopment is the new opera house.
  • transformation: Those words, uttered in 1997 by Minister Liz Henderson, have been the catalyst for a remarkable transformation at Richmond Craigmillar Church.
  • change: The second key catalyst for change has been the steady fall in the actual level of funding.
  • innovation: They will bring in private funds and act as catalysts for innovation.

Adjective modifier

  • heterogeneous: A supported heterogeneous catalyst prepared by traditional methods will not normally have this tightly-controlled a particle size distribution.
  • chiral: This approach is becoming increasingly popular in Organic Chemistry as an alternative to the used of expensive chiral catalysts and auxiliaries.
  • homogeneous: This compound is an active homogeneous epoxidation catalyst in its own right.
  • three-way: The introduction of three-way catalysts to new vehicles will reduce future emissions from this major source.
  • biological: Biological catalysts called enzymes bring about chemical reactions in cells.
  • powerful: War is the most powerful catalyst in technical developments.

Modifies a noun

4g: Catalyst 4g takes the issue of safeguarding your privacy on-line very seriously.

Noun used with modifier

  • metallocene: The two companies will also further develop metallocene single-site polymerisation catalysts for use in bulk PP polymerisation processes.
  • polymerisation: The two companies will also further develop metallocene single-site polymerisation catalysts for use in bulk PP polymerisation processes.
  • palladium: For example, ethanenitrile can be reduced to ethylamine by reaction with hydrogen in the presence of a palladium catalyst.
  • zeolite: The cracking reaction can be induced using high temperatures ( about 500 C ) in the presence of steam or a zeolite catalyst.
  • oxidation: Advanced kinetics models for three-way catalysts, diesel oxidation catalysts, and diesel particulate filters.
  • nickel: The vegetable oils are reacted with hydrogen gas using a nickel catalyst.