atomilise

Atomise, or atomize in American English, is the process of converting a substance into atoms or into a fine spray of tiny droplets. In scientific contexts, atomisation refers to breaking a material down to its constituent atoms or dispersing it as an aerosol, often to increase surface area, enable reactions, or prepare samples for analysis. In everyday use, it also describes turning liquids into a fine mist, as in perfume dispensers or fuel injectors.

The term derives from the Greek atomos, meaning indivisible, through Latin atomus and French atomiser, and entered scientific English in the early modern period. The concept is central to both fundamental chemistry and applied engineering, where controlling the size, distribution, and velocity of the resulting particles or droplets is important.

Common methods of atomisation include mechanical or hydraulic spraying through a nozzle, centrifugal (rotary) atomizers, and air-assisted or air-blast systems that shear a liquid into droplets. Ultrasonic atomisation uses high-frequency vibrations to create a mist, while thermal or vapor-phase atomisation is used in analytical techniques to transfer samples into atomic form.

Applications span analytical chemistry, where atomisation is required for techniques such as atomic spectroscopy and mass spectrometry; energy and propulsion, where fuel atomisation improves mixing and combustion; and manufacturing and consumer products, including spray drying of powders, coatings, inkjet printing, and spray systems in agriculture, cosmetics, and fragrances.

See also atomization, aerosol, atomizer, spray.