Size-dependent surface tension of a cylindrical nanobubble in liquid Ar

Abstract

In view of the continued disputes on the fundamental question of whether the surface tension of a vapour bubble in liquid argon increases, or decreases, or remains unchanged with the increase of curvature radius, a cylindrical vapour bubble of argon is studied by molecular dynamics simulation in this paper instead of spherical vapour bubble so as to reduce the statistical error. So far, the surface tension of the cylindrical vapour bubble has not been studied by molecular dynamics simulation in the literature. Our results show that the surface tension decreases with radius increasing. By fitting the Tolman equation with our data, the Tolman length δ = −0.6225 sigma is given under cut-off radius 2.5σ, where σ = 0.3405 nm is the diameter of an argon atom. The Tolman length of Ar being negative is affirmed and the Tolman length of Ar being approximately zero given in the literature is negated, and it is pointed out that this error is attributed to the application of the inapplicable empirical equation of state and the neglect of the difference between surface tension and an equimolar surface.