Evaluating the Laplace pressure of water nanodroplets from simulations

Abstract

We calculate the components of the microscopic pressure tensor as a function of radial distance r from the centre of a spherical water droplet, modelled using the TIP4P/2005 potential. To do so, we modify a coarse-graining method for calculating the microscopic pressure (Ikeshoji et al 2003 Mol. Simul. 29 101) in order to apply it to a rigid molecular model of water. As test cases, we study nanodroplets ranging in size from 776 to 2880 molecules at 220 K. Beneath a surface region comprising approximately two molecular layers, the pressure tensor becomes approximately isotropic and constant with r. We find that the dependence of the pressure on droplet radius is that expected from the Young–Laplace equation, despite the small size of the droplets.