Wikipedia
A pyrolant (from Greek pyros, fire) is an energetic material that generates hot flames upon combustion. Pyrolants are metal-based pyrotechnic compositions containing virtually any oxidizer. The term was originally coined by Kuwahara in 1992, in a paper on magnesium/Teflon/Viton, to distinguish between compositions that serve as propellants and those yielding hot flames which are not necessarily suitable for propellant purposes.
The word thermite also refers to metal-oxidizer mixtures, and is used interchangeably with, and more commonly than, "pyrolant".
A similar common term is propellant, which describes either a homogeneous or composite material that generates thrust upon combustion, but which may contain fuels instead of or in addition to the metals contained in thermites.
Metal-based pyrotechnic compositions, that is to say thermites or pyrolants, are generally characterized by high combustion temperatures (> 2000 K) and high amounts of condensed reaction products at equilibrium conditions such as metal oxides, fluorides and soot. Typical pyrolants find use as pyrotechnic initiators ( Zr/ BaCrO) or Zr/ KClO, illuminating flare ( Mg/ NaNO) and decoy flare compositions (Mg/ (CF))