Chapter 15 – Why a 1:1 2D Structure Tends to Roll?: A Thermodynamic Perspective

In this chapter, the equilibrium and thermodynamical properties of imogolite dispersions are analysed at a mesoscopic level of description with theories of self-assembly. The energy of an imogolite architecture results from bending, adhesion, surface and line-tension contributions. In the first part, the phase diagram at zero temperature (pure energy) is constructed that distinguishes between nanotubes and nanoscrolls characterised by different numbers of layers. Then, the entropy of mixing and the total free energy are calculated for mixtures of multilayer proto and nanotube imogolites at equilibrium. The full phase diagram exhibits the composition in the various structures, shapes, lengths, radii and layers as a function of temperature and concentration.