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Molecular dynamics simulation of nanocolloidal amorphous silica particles: Part I

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 Added by Samantha Jenkins
 Publication date 2007
  fields Physics
and research's language is English




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Explicit molecular dynamics simulations were applied to a pair of amorphous silica nanoparticles in aqueous solution, of diameter 4.4 nm with four different background electrolyte concentrations, to extract the mean force acting between the pair of silica nanoparticles. Dependences of the interparticle forces with separation and the background electrolyte concentration were demonstrated. The nature of the interaction of the counter-ions with charged silica surface sites (deprotonated silanols) was investigated. A patchy double layer of adsorbed sodium counter-ions. was observed. Dependences of the interparticle potential of mean force with separation and the background electrolyte concentration were demonstrated. Direct evidence of the solvation forces is presented in terms of changes of the water ordering at the surfaces of the isolated and double nanoparticles. The nature of the interaction of the counter-ions with charged silica surface sites (deprotonated silanols) was investigated in terms of quantifying the effects of the number of water molecules separately inside each of the pair of nanoparticles by defining an impermeability measure. A direct correlation was found between impermeability (related to the silica surface hairiness) and the disruption of water ordering. Differences in the impermeability between the two nanoparticles are attributed to differences in the calculated electric dipole moment.



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Explicit molecular dynamics simulations were applied to a pair of amorphous silica nanoparticles of diameter 3.2 nm immersed in a background electrolyte. Mean forces acting between the pair of silica nanoparticles were extracted at four different background electrolyte concentrations. Dependence of the inter-particle potential of mean force on the separation and the silicon to sodium ratio, as well as on the background electrolyte concentration, are demonstrated. The pH was indirectly accounted for via the ratio of silicon to sodium used in the simulations. The nature of the interaction of the counter-ions with charged silica surface sites (deprotonated silanols) was also investigated. The effect of the sodium double layer on the water ordering was investigated for three Si:Na+ ratios. The number of water molecules trapped inside the nanoparticles was investigated as the Si:Na+ ratio was varied. Differences in this number between the two nanoparticles in the simulations are attributed to differences in the calculated electric dipole moment. The implications of the form of the potentials for aggregation are also discussed.
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