Particulate systems are involved in numerous industrial processes and are present in various natural phenomena. Particle technology is a term that refers to the field of the science and technology associated with the characterization, formation, processing, and utilization of particles. It is concerned with the systems in which one or more of the components are in the form of particles. Recently, the scope of particle technology has been extended to cover systems containing nanoparticles, aerosols, liquid droplets, emulsions, and bubbles.
Particle technology is an interdisciplinary field. Owing to the complexity of particulate systems, particle technology is often treated as art than science. Hence, efforts in synthesizing, measuring, modeling, and developing particle and particulate systems are being pursued actively in both academia and industry. This article describes the fundamental principles governing the key aspects of particle science and technology.