Molecular dynamics study of the water/n-alkane interface

Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations on the interface between liquid water and liquid n-alkane (including octane, nonane, decane, undecane and dodecane) have been performed with the purpose to study the interfacial properties: (I) density profile; (II) molecular orientation; (III) interfacial tension and the temperature effect on the interfacial tension. Simulation results show that at the interface the structures of both water and n-alkane are different from those in the bulk. Water has an orientational preference due to the number of hydrogen bonds per molecule maximized. N-alkane has a more lateral orientation with respect to the interface in order to be in close contact with water. The calculated individual phase bulk density and interfacial tension of water/n-alkane systems are in good agreement with the corresponding experimental ones. © Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.