Interfacial tension controls many important nanoparticle physicochemical properties. As the particle diameter decreases the vapor pressure over a curved particle increases and the melting point decreases. This, in turn, influences phase transitions (nucleation of new particles, deliquescence and efflorescence, ice nucleation, and cloud droplet nucleation), the degree to which particles take up water at elevated relative humidity, and the tendency of particles to evaporate. Current theories are based on Gibbs’ thermodynamics, which yield the Kelvin equation and Gibbs-Thomson equation.

Traditional chemical theories often fall short when describing living systems, which operate far from equilibrium. This talk introduces two novel frameworks that incorporate time-dependent processes into non-equilibrium thermodynamics, aiming to bridge the gap between inert and living matter. (1) We reveal how certain catalytic reaction networks can perform counter-intuitive tasks under dynamically changing environments, such as inverting a spontaneous reaction, which is impossible in steady states.