The phrase "act as a type of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the function or role of something in relation to a category or classification.
Example: "In this experiment, the enzyme will act as a type of catalyst to speed up the reaction."
Alternatives: "serve as a kind of" or "function as a form of".
They act as a type of pupil, protecting the rhabdom in bright conditions by absorbing light.
For example, hip guards that are inserted in pockets in a special undergarment can act as a type of body armour to protect the hip.
Comparisons have long been drawn between evolution and changes in language, with experts noting that preferences such as a desire for emphasis can act as a type of "natural selection", affecting which words or forms of grammar are passed on between generations.
The proposed rock-shed protection is made of reinforced concrete slabs held up by specially designed supports that act as a type of expendable fuse to absorb high rock-fall energy especially when shock occurs on the side of the slab.
DP also act as a type of income insurance for farmers which crowds out other "natural" risk management strategies such as diversification and may induce less risk averse behaviour (El Benni et al. 2012; Falco et al. 2014).
To make expected utility track efficacy rather than auspiciousness, causal decision theory interprets the probability of a state if one performs an act as a type of causal probability rather than as a standard conditional probability.
Those contracts, called credit default swaps, acted as a type of insurance on the debt securities, making them more attractive to buyers.
The memory transistor acts as a type of nonvolatile memory, retaining information without the need for a continuous supply of power.
Since there is exponentially more information available than we could reasonably process, our social network acts as a type of filter.
The company, which we tipped at 1012p, provides financial advice, but also acts as a type of investment supermarket for those happy to manage their own finances.
Music acts as "a type of legal performance-enhancing drug," giving athletes more stamina, more energy and increased ability to ignore and overcome pain, says a wealth of research.
