Substraati

Substraati is a Finnish term referring to the base material or surface that provides support for a process, an organism, or a structure. The concept is used across disciplines to denote the underlying layer on which something occurs or rests. It corresponds to the English word "substrate".

In biology and biochemistry, a substrate is the molecule that an enzyme acts upon or the starting material of a reaction. In ecology and soil science, the substrate refers to the solid medium that supports organisms and influences environmental conditions such as moisture, nutrient availability, and habitat structure.

In geology, the substrate is the underlying bedrock or mineral layer beneath soils or sediments. In chemistry and materials science, the substrate is the surface on which reactions occur or a material that is transformed in the process.

In electronics and manufacturing, substrates provide the base for devices and coatings. Silicon wafers are common electronic substrates, while glass, polymeric films, or ceramic plates may serve as substrates in optics, plating, or printed electronics. Substrate properties such as roughness, porosity, and chemical compatibility affect performance and adhesion.

Substrates can be natural or artificial, and their selection depends on the intended application, conditions, and compatibility with coatings, enzymes, or devices. As a general term, substraati links diverse fields through the common idea of an underlying support or reactive surface.