Friability

Friability (pronounced /ˌfraɪəˈbɪlətiː/, "fry-uh-BIL-uh-tee"), the condition of being friable, describes the ability of a solid substance to be reduced to smaller pieces with little effort, especially by rubbing. The opposite of friable is indurate.

Substances designated as being hazardous, such as asbestos or crystalline silica are often referred to as being friable if they are present in such a state that small particles easily can become dislodged, thus enabling them to become respirable (able to enter human lungs), posing a health hazard.

Tougher substances, such as concrete, may also be mechanically ground down and reduced to finely divided mineral dust. However, such substances are not generally considered friable because of the degree of difficulty involved in breaking the substance's chemical bonds through mechanical means. Some substances, such as polyurethane foams, show an increase in friability with exposure to ultraviolet radiation as present in sunlight.

Friable is sometimes used metaphorically to describe "brittle" personalities who can be "rubbed" by seemingly-minor stimuli to produce extreme emotional responses.