verb
- to swell or expand, especially when heated
Usage: intransitive; technical/scientific
Examples
- The material will intumesce when exposed to high temperatures.
- Certain polymers intumesce as a protective mechanism during a fire.
- The clay began to intumesce in the kiln.
- Intumescing coatings are used to protect steel structures from heat damage.
- The foam intumesced rapidly when the chemical reaction started.