Pair correlations in a bidisperse ferrofluid in an external magnetic field: theory and computer simulations

The pair distribution function g(r) for a ferrofluid modeled by a bidisperse system of dipolar hard spheres is calculated. The influence of an external uniform magnetic field and polydispersity on g(r) and the related structure factor is studied. The calculation is performed by diagrammatic expansion methods within the thermodynamic perturbation theory in terms of the particle number density and the interparticle dipole-dipole interaction strength. Analytical expressions are provided for the pair distribution function to within the first order in number density and the second order in dipole-dipole interaction strength. The constructed theory is compared with the results of computer (Monte Carlo) simulations to determine the range of its validity. The scattering structure factor is determined using the Fourier transform of the pair correlation function g(r) ? 1. The influence of the granulometric composition and magnetic field strength on the height and position of the first peak of the structure factor that is most amenable to an experimental study is analyzed. The data obtained can serve as a basis for interpreting the experimental small-angle neutron scattering results and determining the regularities in the behavior of the structure factor, its dependence on the fractional composition of a ferrofluid, interparticle correlations, and external magnetic field.