Extension of scaled particle theory to inhomogeneous hard particle fluids. III. Entropic force exerted on a cavity that intersects a hard wall

Scaled-particle theory analysis of cylindrical cavities in solution

The solvation of hard spherocylindrical solutes is analyzed within the context of scaled-particle theory, which takes the view that the free energy of solvating an empty cavitylike solute is equal to the pressure-volume work required to inflate a solute from nothing to the desired size and shape within the solvent. Based on our analysis, an end cap approximation is proposed to predict the solvation free energy as a function of the spherocylinder length from knowledge regarding only the solvent density in contact with a spherical solute. The framework developed is applied to extend Reiss's classic implementation of scaled-particle theory and a previously developed revised scaled-particle theory to spherocylindrical solutes. To test the theoretical descriptions developed, molecular simulations of the solvation of infinitely long cylindrical solutes are performed. In hard-sphere solvents classic scaled-particle theory is shown to provide a reasonably accurate description of the solvent contact correlation and resulting solvation free energy per unit length of cylinders, while the revised scaled-particle theory fitted to measured values of the contact correlation provides a quantitative free energy. Applied to the Lennard-Jones solvent at a state-point along the liquid-vapor coexistence curve, however, classic scaled-particle theory fails to correctly capture the dependence of the contact correlation. Revised scaled-particle theory, on the other hand, provides a quantitative description of cylinder solvation in the Lennard-Jones solvent with a fitted interfacial free energy in good agreement with that determined for purely spherical solutes. The breakdown of classical scaled-particle theory does not result from the failure of the end cap approximation, however, but is indicative of neglected higher-order curvature dependences on the solvation free energy.

Extension of scaled particle theory to inhomogeneous hard particle fluids. IV. Cavity growth at any distance relative to a planar hard wall

A completely generalized version of an inhomogeneous scaled particle theory (I-SPT) for hard particle fluids confined by hard walls is presented, whereby the reversible work of cavity insertion can be determined for a cavity of any radius located at any distance from the hard wall. New exact and approximate conditions on the central function Ḡ of I-SPT are developed, where Ḡ is related to the average value of the anisotropic density of hard-sphere centers at the surface of the cavity. The predictions of the work of insertion and the form of Ḡ are quite accurate up to moderate bulk densities as compared to molecular simulation results. The accuracy of I-SPT begins to decline at high densities, due to limitations of certain needed approximations required for a complete description of Ḡ. Finally, interesting insights into the origin of depletion effects between a hard-sphere solute and the hard wall are generated via this version of I-SPT. The oscillatory nature of depletion forces, exhibiting both attractive and repulsive domains, is found to arise from the interplay between bulk SPT and I-SPT relations.

Hard-sphere fluids in annular wedges: density distributions and depletion potentials

We analyze the density distribution and the adsorption of solvent hard spheres in an annular slit formed by two large solute spheres or a large solute and a wall at close distances by means of fundamental measure density-functional theory, anisotropic integral equations, and simulations. We find that the main features of the density distribution in the slit are described by an effective two-dimensional system of disks in the vicinity of a central obstacle. This has an immediate consequence for the depletion force between the solutes (or the wall and the solute) since the latter receives a strong line-tension contribution due to the adsorption of the effective disks at the circumference of the central obstacle. For large solute-solvent size ratios, the resulting depletion force has a straightforward geometrical interpretation which gives a precise "colloidal" limit for the depletion interaction. For intermediate size ratios of 5-10 and high solvent packing fractions larger than 0.4, the explicit density-functional results show a deep attractive well for the depletion potential at solute contact, possibly indicating demixing in a binary mixture at low solute and high solvent packing fraction besides the occurrence of gelation and freezing.