Dispersants, or dispersing agents, are chemicals that break up large substances, like crude oil, into smaller droplets, preventing clumping or settling. They are used in a variety of applications, including oil spill response where they dilute and biodegrade oil in the water column, and in industries like coatings and paints to stabilize pigments, and the production of lubricants to prevent sludge formation. In oil spills, dispersants act like surfactants, or soaps, to help oil mix with water, though their use is complex and depends on factors like the type of oil and weather conditions.