Molecular dynamics simulations of CCl4–H2O liquid–liquid interface with polarizable potential models

Abstract

The results from molecular dynamics simulations of the equilibrium properties of the CCl4–H2O liquid–liquid interface at room temperature are presented. The interactions between H2O–H2O, H2O–CCl4, and CCl4–CCl4 are described using the polarizable potential models developed in our laboratory. To our knowledge, this work is the first molecular dynamics simulations of the liquid–liquid interfacial equilibrium properties that explicitly includes nonadditive polarization effects. Molecular dynamics results of a 300 ps simulation following an extensive equilibration process indicate that the liquid interface is very stable, the density profile of H2O is very smooth, while that of CCl4 exhibits some oscillations. It is found that locally there is a sharp transition from one liquid phase to the other, but the overall interface is broadened by thermal fluctuations as indicated by the liquid density profiles. Calculated radial distribution functions suggest that the local structures of CCl4 and H2O remain unchanged from the bulk liquid to the interface. However, the interface does induce orientational order of H2O and CCl4 molecules. To study the polarization effects on the liquid–liquid interfacial equilibrium properties, we have calculated the total and induced dipole moments of H2O and CCl4 molecules as a function of the distance normal to the interface. The calculated dipole moments of the water molecules near the interface are close to their gas phase values, while water molecules far from the interface have dipole moments corresponding to the bulk values. This behavior can be attributed to the changes of the hydrogen bonding patterns and the orientation of water molecules near the interface. The induced dipole moments of the CCl4 molecules near the interface, on the other hand, are significantly enhanced. This is due in part to the strong local field induced by the water molecules at the interface. The calculated electric potentials using the dipole moment approach help us to analyze the orientations of water and CCl4 molecules at the interface.