Thermodynamics of (nano)interfaces

The chapter is a tutorial on the description of nanosystems by classical interfacial thermodynamics. After synthetically recalling the necessary basics, it shows by working examples of increasing complexity that several properties of inorganic, biological, and hybrid nano-objects are not stand-alone weird subjects but rather aspects of colloid and interface energetics. Touched topics include melting temperature and solubility of nanocrystals, phase rule for highly curved interfaces, superhydrophobic surfaces, and biomolecular machines.