Simulating ion clustering in potassium thiocyanate aqueous solutions with various ion-water models

Using a molecular dynamics simulation technique,we compared several commonly used ion-water models to describe the microscopic structures and dynamics in KSCN aqueous solutions.Results are compared with observations of femtosecond infrared vibrational-energy transfer and anisotropy measurements.The Jorgensen/TIP4P model is found to provide the best reproduction of clustering properties such as percentage of clustered ions,cluster-size distribution,concentration dependence of the water,and ion-rotation time constants.