Shape transformation of halloysite particles

TLDR: In this article, a curvature elastic energy mechanism for shape transformation from spheres to tubular and/or partially curled platy shapes in halloysite is proposed. But this mechanism is limited to a single layer of halloyite.

Abstract: A mechanism of shape transformation from spheres to tubes in halloysite is proposed from the standpoint of curvature elasticity theory, using the size and morphological data of samples separated from chronological series of tephras in Hachijo Island. Transmission electron microscopic observations indicated that when the diameters of halloysite particles exceeded about 200 nm, the shape showed prominent deviation from spherical to tubular and/or partially curled platy ones. This fact leads to that the spherical halloysite with 200 nm in diameter is subjected to the curvature elastic energy of about 9 kJ/m 2 due to the anti-bending of layers, which is an estimate using approximately the elastic constants of kaolinite and taking into account a preferable curvature for a single layer of halloysite. The curvature elastic energy acts as a driving force for the shape transformation. In reality irreversible dehydration process plays a trigger to transform such flustrated spherical halloysites to more stable shapes such as tubular ones.