Kirkwood–Buff integrals of finite systems

Shape effects

Journal Article (2018)
Author(s)

Noura Dawass (TU Delft - Engineering Thermodynamics)

Peter Krüger (Chiba University)

Jean Marc Simon (Université de Bourgogne)

Thijs J.H. Vlugt (TU Delft - Engineering Thermodynamics)

Research Group
Engineering Thermodynamics
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1080/00268976.2018.1434908
More Info
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Publication Year
2018
Language
English
Research Group
Engineering Thermodynamics
Issue number
12
Volume number
116
Pages (from-to)
1573-1580
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Abstract

The Kirkwood–Buff (KB) theory provides an important connection between microscopic density fluctuations in liquids and macroscopic properties. Recently, Krüger et al. derived equations for KB integrals for finite subvolumes embedded in a reservoir. Using molecular simulation of finite systems, KB integrals can be computed either from density fluctuations inside such subvolumes, or from integrals of radial distribution functions (RDFs). Here, based on the second approach, we establish a framework to compute KB integrals for subvolumes with arbitrary convex shapes. This requires a geometric function w(x) which depends on the shape of the subvolume, and the relative position inside the subvolume. We present a numerical method to compute w(x) based on Umbrella Sampling Monte Carlo (MC). We compute KB integrals of a liquid with a model RDF for subvolumes with different shapes. KB integrals approach the thermodynamic limit in the same way: for sufficiently large volumes, KB integrals are a linear function of area over volume, which is independent of the shape of the subvolume.