What's the Opposite of Coalescing?

If coalescing is the smooth coming together of elements to make a new homogeneous substance, then perhaps when this process fails we might call it curdling? I don't know, perhaps cooking analogies just come easier to me.

Yesterday, the plans I had been making started going sour and in the late afternoon I brought it to a halt and called a time out.  There was a lot of momentum behind those plans. The halt caused a bit of a jolt. In fact there are a few more smaller jolts due today as I will be speaking with some others involved on the periphery.

I am not discouraged. however, which is a good feeling. I am making new plans. In early morning half-wakefulness, some new ideas emerged that sound interesting. Sometimes when God gives you milk, you're meant to make cheese.