Sublimate

Sublimate is a verb meaning to cause or undergo sublimation, a transition from a solid directly to a gaseous state. In chemistry, sublimation is the process by which a solid changes directly into a gas without passing through a liquid.

Sublimation occurs when the vapor pressure of a solid becomes significant at temperatures below its melting point, often under reduced pressure. It is used to purify solids; heating under low pressure allows the volatile component to form a sublimate that can be condensed elsewhere. The remaining material may be enriched in non-volatile impurities.

Common examples include solid carbon dioxide, or dry ice, which sublimates at room temperature, and iodine, which forms a violet gas when heated. Freeze-drying uses sublimation to remove water from frozen materials while preserving structure. Sublimation is a practical purification method in various branches of chemistry, especially for compounds that decompose when heated to their melting points.

In psychology, sublimation is a defense mechanism in which unacceptable impulses are redirected into socially acceptable activities, such as art, science, or athletics.

As a broader usage, to sublimate can also mean to refine or elevate something to a higher or more noble form. The term thereby spans scientific, practical, and metaphorical contexts.