Perturbation theory based direct correlation function for fluids with hard core potentials

Using second-order Barker–Henderson perturbation theory we are able to derive an explicit expression for the direct correlation function of fluids with hard core potentials. Using the obtained direct correlation function, one can explicitly calculate all thermodynamic properties of simple fluids with hard core potentials. Comparisons with computer simulation data show good agreement for both thermodynamic properties and the static structure factor of the hard core double Yukawa potential.     

Derivation of a simple coordination number model using a given equation of state and the effective pair potential function

In this work, a simple coordination number (C.N.) model for the (9, 3) Lennard–Jones (LJ) fluid is obtained. It is based on the comparison of the internal pressure derived from a given equation of state (EoS) with the internal pressure derived from the (9, 3) LJ fluid as an effective pair potential (EPP). This model reproduces well the thermodynamic properties of the fluid such as internal energy, and the C.N. which is comparable with the Monte Carlo simulation data for the C.N. in the high-density region. In addition, the obtained C.N. can predict the first shell radial distribution function, g(r), of the fluid as well.     

Thermodynamic properties of a hard-core Lennard-Jones fluid from computer simulation and the coupling parameter series expansion

ABSTRACT

The thermodynamic properties of a fluid with an interaction potential consisting in a hard-sphere core plus a Lennard-Jones tail have been obtained by Monte Carlo (MC) NVT simulation as a function of the density along several isotherms. In addition, the liquid–vapour coexistence has been determined by means of histogram-reweighting MC. These data have been used to analyse the performance of perturbation theory. To this end, the first three perturbation terms of the inverse temperature expansion of the Helmholtz free energy have been obtained by means of MC NVT simulations to test the convergence of the perturbation series and to compare with the predictions of the coupling parameter series expansion. Then, the predictions of the latter theory for the thermodynamic properties have been compared with the simulations, revealing the overall excellent performance of this perturbation theory for this model fluid, except in the vicinity of the critical point.     

Recent progress in molecular simulation of aqueous electrolytes: force fields,chemical potentials and solubility

Although aqueous electrolytes are among the most important solutions, the molecular simulation of their intertwined properties of chemical potentials, solubility and activity coefficients has remained a challenging problem, and has attracted considerable recent interest. In this perspectives review, we focus on the simplest case of aqueous sodium chloride at ambient conditions and discuss the two main factors that have impeded progress. The first is lack of consensus with respect to the appropriate methodology for force field (FF) development. We examine how most commonly used FFs have been developed, and emphasise the importance of distinguishing between ‘Training Set Properties’ used to fit the FF parameters, and ‘Test Set Properties’, which are pure predictions of additional properties. The second is disagreement among solubility results obtained, even using identical FFs and thermodynamic conditions. Solubility calculations have been approached using both thermodynamic-based methods and direct molecular dynamics-based methods implementing coexisting solution and solid phases. Although convergence has been very recently achieved among results based on the former approach, there is as yet no general agreement with simulation results based on the latter methodology. We also propose a new method to directly calculate the electrolyte standard chemical potential in the Henry law ideality model. We conclude by making recommendations for calculating solubility, chemical potentials and activity coefficients, and outline a potential path for future progress.     

The role of higher-order terms in perturbation approaches to the monomer and bonding contributions in a SAFT-type equation of state for square-well chain fluids

A perturbation theory for square-well chain fluids is developed within the scheme of the (generalised) Wertheim thermodynamic perturbation theory. The theory is based on the Pavlyukhin parametrisations [Y. T. Pavlyukhin, J. Struct. Chem. 53, 476 (2012)] of their simulation data for the first four perturbation terms in the high temperature expansion of the Helmholtz free energy of square-well monomer fluids combined with a second-order perturbation theory for the contact value of the radial distribution function of the square-well monomer fluid that enters into bonding contribution. To obtain the latter perturbation terms, we have performed computer simulations in the hard-sphere reference system. The importance of the perturbation terms beyond the second-order one for the monomer fluid and of the approximations of different orders in the bonding contribution for the chain fluids in the predicted equation of state, excess energy and liquid–vapour coexistence densities is analysed.     

An application of cell theory to molecular models of n-alkane solids

Solid phase properties for hard sphere chain molecular models of n-alkanes are calculated using the cell theory, and a numerical method for implementation of cell theory for chain molecules is described. Good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations for solid phase properties is obtained from the theory. By using cell theory for the solid phase and an equation of state for the fluid phase, solid-phase equilibrium can be calculated. The predictions are in quite good agreement with Monte Carlo simulation results. Cell theory is used to assess the impact of an approximate treatment used in earlier work for the effect of the temperature dependence of the molecular flexibility upon the solid phase properties of a hard chain model with a realistic torsional potential.     

A core-softened fluid model in disordered porous media. Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation and integral equations

We have studied the microscopic structure and thermodynamic properties of a core-softened fluid model in disordered matrices of Lennard-Jones particles by using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation. The dependence of density on the applied chemical potential (adsorption isotherms), pair distribution functions, as well as the heat capacity in different matrices are discussed. The microscopic structure of the model in matrices changes with density similar to the bulk model. Thus one should expect that the structural anomaly persists at least in dilute matrices. The region of densities for the heat capacity anomaly shrinks with increasing matrix density. This behavior is also observed for the diffusion coefficient on density from independent molecular dynamics simulation. Theoretical results for the model have been obtained by using replica Ornstein-Zernike integral equations with hypernetted chain closure. Predictions of the theory generally are in good agreement with simulation data, except for the heat capacity on fluid density. However, possible anomalies of thermodynamic properties for the model in disordered matrices are not captured adequately by the present theory. It seems necessary to develop and apply more elaborated, thermodynamically self-consistent closures to capture these features.     

Thermodynamics of a long-range triangle-well fluid

The long-range triangle-well fluid has been studied using three different approaches: firstly, by an analytical equation of state obtained by a perturbation theory, secondly via a self-consistent integral equation theory, the so-called self-consistent Ornstein–Zernike approach (SCOZA) which is presently one of the most accurate liquid-state theories, and finally by Monte Carlo simulations. We present vapour–liquid phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties such as the internal energy and the pressure as a function of the density at different temperatures and for several values of the potential range. We assess the accuracy of the theoretical approaches by comparison with Monte Carlo simulations: the SCOZA method accurately predicts the thermodynamics of these systems and the first-order perturbation theory reproduces the overall thermodynamic behaviour for ranges greater than two molecular diameters except that it overestimates the critical point. The simplicity of the equation of state and the fact that it is analytical in the potential range makes it a good candidate to be used for calculating other thermodynamic properties and as an ingredient in more complex theoretical approaches.     

LJ模型的热力学特性、相平衡及用于真实分子的研究

结合描述硬球固体Helmholtz自由能的自由体积方法与描述硬球固体径向分布函数的拟合的分析表达式与一阶热力学摄动理论,用于描述Lennard Jones(LJ)固体的Helmholtz自由能.按照一个修正的WCA方法将LJ势分为短程排斥部分与长程吸引部分,将文献中一个用于求取液相的等价的硬球直径的简单的迭代法扩展到固相,用于求取固相的等价的硬球直径.在固体Helmholtz自由能的计算中,使用200壳层,以便获得精确的结果.体相LJ液体的热力学特性由一个最近提出的状态方程求取.该方法很好地描述了LJ固体的过量Helmholtz自由能与状态方程,满意地描述了Lennard Jones模型的相平衡;通过选取合适的LJ势参数,能很好地描述了真实分子的融化曲线.     

Equation of state and liquid–vapour equilibrium in a triangle-well fluid

The second-order thermodynamic perturbation theory formulation of Barker and Henderson is used to derive the equation of state of the triangle-well fluid. This is combined with the rational function approximation to the radial distribution function of the hard-sphere fluid. Results are obtained for the critical parameters and the liquid–vapour coexistence curve for various values of the range of the potential. A comparison with available simulation data is presented.     

Perturbation theory for non-axial molecular fluids

The thermodynamic perturbation theory in which all angle-dependent interactions are considered as a perturbation of the central potential is applied to study the equilibrium properties of a fluid composed of non-axial molecules. The influence of a large number of anisotropic pair and three-body non-additive interactions have been taken into account. Using the same set of force parameters the calculation is made for gaseous pressure second and third virial coefficients and liquid phase thermodynamic properties (Helmholtz free-energy, configurational energy, pressure and entropy). It is shown that the non-axial approximation is an improvement over the axial one. Excellent agreement between theory and experiment is obtained for ethylene.     

The phase coexistence method to obtain surface free energies and nucleation barriers: a brief review

ABSTRACT

A recently developed method where one analyses the finite size effects associated with liquid–solid phase equilibria including vapour–crystal coexistence is briefly reviewed. It is shown that the estimation of the chemical potential of the vapour surrounding the crystal as function of the crystal volume yields information on the bulk coexistence conditions, when an extrapolation to the thermodynamic limit is performed. Estimating the pressure of the fluid surrounding the crystal nucleus in the finite simulation box and the volume of this nucleus that coexists with the fluid in thermal equilibrium, an estimate for the total surface excess free energy can be obtained, which to a very good approximation is independent of the size of the simulation box. The free energy barrier against homogeneous nucleation of crystals thus can be estimated as a function of the nucleus volume. Monte Carlo simulations for the soft effective Asakura–Oosawa model of colloid-polymer mixtures which form face-centered cubic colloidal crystals are used to exemplify this method, computing the surface excess free energy of these crystals over a wide range of crystal volumes, without the need to characterise the non-spherical crystal shape. A possible extension of these concepts to heterogeneous nucleation is also briefly discussed.     

A new study of associating inhomogeneous fluids with classical density functional theory

ABSTRACT

A new density functional for the study of associating inhomogeneous fluids based on Wertheim's first-order thermodynamic perturbation theory is presented and compared to the most currently used associating density functionals. This functional is developed using the weighted density approximation in the range of association of hard spheres. We implement this functional within the framework of classical density functional theory together with modified fundamental measure theory to account for volume exclusion of hard spheres. This approach is tested against molecular simulations from literature of pure associating hard spheres and mixtures of non-associationg and associating hard spheres with different number of bonding sites close to a hard uniform wall. Furthermore, we compare and review our results with the performance of associating functionals from literature, one based on fundamental measure theory and the inhomogeneous version of Wertheim's perturbation theory. Results obtained with classical DFT and the three functionals show excellent agreement with molecular simulations in systems with one hard wall. For the cases of small pores where only one or two layers of fluid are allowed discrepancies between results with classical DFT and molecular simulations were found.     

Adsorption isotherm of a Lennard-Jones nitrogen in a carbon slitlike pore

A density functional perturbation approximation based both on second-order perturbation theory and on the pore average density has been proposed to study the adsorption hysteresis of nitrogen in a carbon slit pore. The main advantage of the present approximation is that it is computationally much simpler than the original density functional approximation based on the second-order perturbation theory of liquids, and can be applied to several model fluids confined in a strong external field in order to study their structural and thermodynamic properties. The calculated adsorption hysteresis for the confined Lennard-Jones nitrogen is in very good agreement with computer simulation, even if its accuracy slightly deteriorates for the desorption branch. The calculated equilibrium particle density distributions also compare well with computer simulations, and are better than those of a density functional theory based on the so-called mean-field approximation.     

Spontaneous translation of nanodroplet over a heterogeneous surface due to thermal cycles: role of solid–liquid interfacial fluctuations

ABSTRACT

We study the molecular-scale features of the solid surface that result in the spontaneous motion of a nanodroplet due to the periodic variation of temperature. We first employ a thermodynamic model to predict the variation of solid–fluid interfacial properties that can result in the above motion. The model identifies a composite (surface couple) made of two surfaces that are characterised by a large difference between the entropic parts of the solid–liquid interfacial free energies. In order to understand the molecular-scale features of the two surfaces that may form a surface couple, we performed grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of Lennard Jones fluid and crystalline surfaces made of Lennard Jones-like atoms. We then used the cumulant expansions of the perturbation formulas to divide the interfacial entropy into two parts: The one that is directly affected by the solid–fluid attraction (direct part), and the other (indirect part) that is indirectly affected by the solid–fluid attraction via the alteration of interfacial fluctuations. Our results indicate that two surfaces form a surface couple if the differences between their chemical natures lead to large differences in the indirect part of the interfacial entropy, while the direct part remains relatively unaffected.     

Can we understand (and model) aqueous solutions without any long range electrostatic interactions?

A computer simulation experiment has been conducted to study the extent to which long range Coulombic interactions are indispensable when modelling aqueous solutions of electrolytes. A simple molecular model, which accounts explicitly for the molecular structure of water but which does not incorporate any long range Coulombic interactions is employed. The solvent is primitive water (EPM5-4 model) and the solute molecules are hard spheres interacting with the interaction sites of the water molecule by means of either repulsive (like-charge interaction) or attractive (unlike-charge interaction) short range triangular-well tails. The structural changes (hydrophobic ordering, structure breaking, and structure enhancement) which take place in an infinitely dilute solution upon ‘charging’ the solute were studied, in terms of the correlation functions and of the orientational distribution functions and of the average binding energy of the water molecules around the solute in terms of their dependence on the solute-water oxygen distance. The main thermodynamic property reflecting these changes is the residual entropy. This quantity is found to exhibit an asymmetric double maximum, in agreement with the findings for a realistic counterpart of this simple model that employs long range Coulombic interactions.