subliming

Subliming is the present participle of sublimation and refers to the process of a substance moving directly from a solid to a gas, bypassing the liquid phase. In physical chemistry, sublimation occurs when the solid’s vapor pressure exceeds the surrounding pressure at a given temperature. This effect is favored at low pressures or with volatile solids. Common examples include dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) at room temperature in normal air, and solid iodine or naphthalene in a sealed environment. The rate of sublimation depends on temperature, surface area, and material properties, and the process is endothermic, absorbing heat from the surroundings.

In practical uses, sublimation is exploited in freeze-drying (lyophilization) to remove water from frozen materials, and in dye-sublimation printing, where solid dye is heated to gas and then condenses on a substrate to form an image. Sublimation also plays a role in purification techniques and in thin-film deposition.

In psychology, sublimation is a defense mechanism in which unacceptable impulses are transformed into socially acceptable, productive activities, such as art, science, or charitable work. The concept emphasizes energy transformation rather than elimination of the drive.

For clarity, the reverse process is deposition (gas to solid). Subliming should not be confused with sublimed materials or with sublimation printing, which are related terms that describe these processes in different contexts.