| 655 |
|
orientations. Molecules included in the convex hull show a slight |
| 656 |
|
preference for values of $\cos{\theta} < 0.$ These values correspond |
| 657 |
|
to molecules with oxygen directed toward the exterior of the cluster, |
| 658 |
< |
forming a dangling hydrogen bond acceptor site. |
| 658 |
> |
forming dangling hydrogen bond acceptor sites. |
| 659 |
|
|
| 660 |
< |
The orientational preference exhibited by liquid phase hull molecules in the Langevin Hull is significantly weaker than the preference caused by an explicit hydrophobic bounding potential. Additionally, the Langevin Hull does not require that the orientation of any molecules be fixed in order to maintain bulk-like structure, even at the cluster surface. |
| 660 |
> |
The orientational preference exhibited by water molecules on the hull |
| 661 |
> |
is significantly weaker than the preference caused by an explicit |
| 662 |
> |
hydrophobic bounding potential. Additionally, the Langevin Hull does |
| 663 |
> |
not require that the orientation of any molecules be fixed in order to |
| 664 |
> |
maintain bulk-like structure, even near the cluster surface. |
| 665 |
|
|
| 666 |
< |
Previous molecular dynamics simulations |
| 667 |
< |
of SPC/E water using periodic boundary conditions have shown that molecules on the liquid side of the liquid/vapor interface favor a similar orientation where oxygen is directed away from the bulk.\cite{Taylor1996} These simulations had both a liquid phase and a well-defined vapor phase in equilibrium and showed that vapor molecules generally had one hydrogen protruding from the surface, forming a dangling hydrogen bond donor. Our water cluster simulations do not have a true lasting vapor phase, but rather a few transient molecules that leave the liquid droplet. Thus while we are unable to comment on the orientational preference of vapor phase molecules in a Langevin Hull simulation, we achieve good agreement for the orientation of liquid phase molecules at the interface. |
| 666 |
> |
Previous molecular dynamics simulations of SPC/E liquid / vapor |
| 667 |
> |
interfaces using periodic boundary conditions have shown that |
| 668 |
> |
molecules on the liquid side of interface favor a similar orientation |
| 669 |
> |
where oxygen is directed away from the bulk.\cite{Taylor1996} These |
| 670 |
> |
simulations had well-defined liquid and vapor phase regions |
| 671 |
> |
equilibrium and it was observed that {\it vapor} molecules generally |
| 672 |
> |
had one hydrogen protruding from the surface, forming a dangling |
| 673 |
> |
hydrogen bond donor. Our water clusters do not have a true vapor |
| 674 |
> |
region, but rather a few transient molecules that leave the liquid |
| 675 |
> |
droplet (and which return to the droplet relatively quickly). |
| 676 |
> |
Although we cannot obtain an orientational preference of vapor phase |
| 677 |
> |
molecules in a Langevin Hull simulation, but we do agree with previous |
| 678 |
> |
estimates of the orientation of {\it liquid phase} molecules at the |
| 679 |
> |
interface. |
| 680 |
|
|
| 681 |
|
\subsection{Heterogeneous nanoparticle / water mixtures} |
| 682 |
|
|
| 683 |
|
To further test the method, we simulated gold nanopartices ($r = 18$ |
| 684 |
< |
\AA) solvated by explicit SPC/E water clusters using the Langevin |
| 685 |
< |
Hull. This was done at pressures of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 atm |
| 686 |
< |
in order to observe the effects of pressure on the ordering of water |
| 687 |
< |
ordering at the surface. In Fig. \ref{fig:RhoR} we show the density |
| 688 |
< |
of water adjacent to the surface and |
| 689 |
< |
the density of gold at the surface as a function of pressure. |
| 684 |
> |
\AA) solvated by explicit SPC/E water clusters using a model for the |
| 685 |
> |
gold / water interactions that has been used by Dou {\it et. al.} for |
| 686 |
> |
investigating the separation of water films near hot metal |
| 687 |
> |
surfaces.\cite{ISI:000167766600035} The Langevin Hull was used to |
| 688 |
> |
sample pressures of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 atm, while all |
| 689 |
> |
simulations were done at a temperature of 300 K. At these |
| 690 |
> |
temperatures and pressures, there is no observed separation of the |
| 691 |
> |
water film from the surface. |
| 692 |
|
|
| 693 |
< |
Higher applied pressures de-structure the outermost layer of the gold nanoparticle and the water at the metal/water interface. Simulations at increased pressures have greater overlap of the gold and water densities, indicating a less well-defined interfacial surface. |
| 693 |
> |
In Fig. \ref{fig:RhoR} we show the density of water and gold as a |
| 694 |
> |
function of the distance from the center of the nanoparticle. Higher |
| 695 |
> |
applied pressures appear to destroy structural correlations in the |
| 696 |
> |
outermost monolayer of the gold nanoparticle as well as in the water |
| 697 |
> |
at the near the metal / water interface. Simulations at increased |
| 698 |
> |
pressures exhibit significant overlap of the gold and water densities, |
| 699 |
> |
indicating a less well-defined interfacial surface. |
| 700 |
|
|
| 701 |
|
\begin{figure} |
| 702 |
|
\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{RhoR} |
| 703 |
< |
\caption{Densities of gold and water at the nanoparticle surface. Higher applied pressures de-structure both the gold nanoparticle surface and water at the metal/water interface.} |
| 703 |
> |
\caption{Density profiles of gold and water at the nanoparticle |
| 704 |
> |
surface. Each curve has been normalized by the average density in |
| 705 |
> |
the bulk-like region available to the corresponding material. Higher applied pressures |
| 706 |
> |
de-structure both the gold nanoparticle surface and water at the |
| 707 |
> |
metal/water interface.} |
| 708 |
|
\label{fig:RhoR} |
| 709 |
|
\end{figure} |
| 710 |
|
|
| 711 |
< |
Indeed, at even higher pressures, problems with the gold - water interaction |
| 712 |
< |
potential became apparent. The model we are using (due to Spohr) was |
| 713 |
< |
intended for relatively low pressures; it utilizes both shifted Morse |
| 714 |
< |
and repulsive Morse potentials to model the Au/O and Au/H |
| 715 |
< |
interactions, respectively. The repulsive wall of the Morse potential |
| 716 |
< |
does not diverge quickly enough at short distances to prevent water |
| 717 |
< |
from diffusing into the center of the gold nanoparticles. This |
| 718 |
< |
behavior is likely not a realistic description of the real physics of |
| 719 |
< |
the situation. A better model of the gold-water adsorption behavior |
| 720 |
< |
appears to require harder repulsive walls to prevent this behavior. |
| 711 |
> |
At even higher pressures (500 atm and above), problems with the metal |
| 712 |
> |
- water interaction potential became quite clear. The model we are |
| 713 |
> |
using appears to have been parameterized for relatively low pressures; |
| 714 |
> |
it utilizes both shifted Morse and repulsive Morse potentials to model |
| 715 |
> |
the Au/O and Au/H interactions, respectively. The repulsive wall of |
| 716 |
> |
the Morse potential does not diverge quickly enough at short distances |
| 717 |
> |
to prevent water from diffusing into the center of the gold |
| 718 |
> |
nanoparticles. This behavior is likely not a realistic description of |
| 719 |
> |
the real physics of the situation. A better model of the gold-water |
| 720 |
> |
adsorption behavior appears to require harder repulsive walls to |
| 721 |
> |
prevent this behavior. |
| 722 |
|
|
| 723 |
|
\section{Discussion} |
| 724 |
|
\label{sec:discussion} |
