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Journal ArticleDOI

Density functional theory for chemical engineering: From capillarity to soft materials

01 Mar 2006-Aiche Journal (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd)-Vol. 52, Iss: 3, pp 1169-1193
TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarized the recent advances of classical density functional theory with emphasis on applications to quantitative modeling of the phase and interfacial behavior of condensed fluids and soft materials, including colloids, polymer solutions, nanocomposites, liquid crystals, and biological systems.
Abstract: Understanding the microscopic structure and macroscopic properties of condensed matter from a molecular perspective is important for both traditional and modern chemical engineering. A cornerstone of such understanding is provided by statistical mechanics, which bridges the gap between molecular events and the structural and physiochemical properties of macro- and mesoscopic systems. With ever-increasing computer power, molecular simulations and ab initio quantum mechanics are promising to provide a nearly exact route to accomplishing the full potential of statistical mechanics. However, in light of their versatility for solving problems involving multiple length and timescales that are yet unreachable by direct simulations, phenomenological and semiempirical methods remain relevant for chemical engineering applications in the foreseeable future. Classical density functional theory offers a compromise: on the one hand, it is able to retain the theoretical rigor of statistical mechanics and, on the other hand, similar to a phenomenological method, it demands only modest computational cost for modeling the properties of uniform and inhomogeneous systems. Recent advances are summarized of classical density functional theory with emphasis on applications to quantitative modeling of the phase and interfacial behavior of condensed fluids and soft materials, including colloids, polymer solutions, nanocomposites, liquid crystals, and biological systems. Attention is also given to some potential applications of density functional theory to material fabrications and biomolecular engineering. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The new local density functional, called M06-L, is designed to capture the main dependence of the exchange-correlation energy on local spin density, spin density gradient, and spin kinetic energy density, and it is parametrized to satisfy the uniform-electron-gas limit.
Abstract: We present a new local density functional, called M06-L, for main-group and transition element thermochemistry, thermochemical kinetics, and noncovalent interactions. The functional is designed to capture the main dependence of the exchange-correlation energy on local spin density, spin density gradient, and spin kinetic energy density, and it is parametrized to satisfy the uniform-electron-gas limit and to have good performance for both main-group chemistry and transition metal chemistry. The M06-L functional and 14 other functionals have been comparatively assessed against 22 energetic databases. Among the tested functionals, which include the popular B3LYP, BLYP, and BP86 functionals as well as our previous M05 functional, the M06-L functional gives the best overall performance for a combination of main-group thermochemistry, thermochemical kinetics, and organometallic, inorganometallic, biological, and noncovalent interactions. It also does very well for predicting geometries and vibrational frequencies. Because of the computational advantages of local functionals, the present functional should be very useful for many applications in chemistry, especially for simulations on moderate-sized and large systems and when long time scales must be addressed. © 2006 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.2370993

4,154 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jun 2009-Carbon
TL;DR: In this paper, a quenched solid density functional theory (QSDFT) model was proposed for the pore size distribution in the range of pore widths from 0.4 to 35 nm from nitrogen at 77.4 K and argon at 87.3 K isotherms.

703 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Different strategies commonly used to formulate the free-energy functional of complex fluids for either phenomena-oriented applications or as a generic description of the thermodynamic nonideality owing to various components of intermolecular forces are discussed.
Abstract: Density-functional theory (DFT) and its variations provide a fruitful approach to the computational modeling of the microscopic structures and phase behavior of soft-condensed matter. The methodology takes deep root in quantum mechanics but shares a mathematical similarity with a number of classical approaches in statistical mechanics. This review discusses different strategies commonly used to formulate the free-energy functional of complex fluids for either phenomena-oriented applications or as a generic description of the thermodynamic nonideality owing to various components of intermolecular forces. We emphasize the connections among different schemes of DFT approximations, their underlying assumptions, and inherent limitations. We also address extensions of equilibrium DFT to phenomenological theories for the dynamic properties of complex fluids and for the kinetics of phase transitions. In addition, we highlight the recent literature concerning applications of DFT to diverse static and time-dependent phenomena in complex fluids.

343 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Applications of coarse-grained models to changes of the membrane topology are illustrated with studies of membrane fusion utilizing simulations and self-consistent field theory.

314 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the role of coarse-grained models in the investigation of the structure and thermodynamics of bilayer membranes, and place them in the context of alternative approaches.
Abstract: We discuss the role coarse-grained models play in the investigation of the structure and thermodynamics of bilayer membranes, and we place them in the context of alternative approaches. Because they reduce the degrees of freedom and employ simple and soft effective potentials, coarse-grained models can provide rather direct insight into collective phenomena in membranes on large time and length scales. We present a summary of recent progress in this rapidly evolving field, and pay special attention to model development and computational techniques. Applications of coarse-grained models to changes of the membrane topology are illustrated with studies of membrane fusion utilizing simulations and self-consistent field theory.

240 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the Hartree and Hartree-Fock equations are applied to a uniform electron gas, where the exchange and correlation portions of the chemical potential of the gas are used as additional effective potentials.
Abstract: From a theory of Hohenberg and Kohn, approximation methods for treating an inhomogeneous system of interacting electrons are developed. These methods are exact for systems of slowly varying or high density. For the ground state, they lead to self-consistent equations analogous to the Hartree and Hartree-Fock equations, respectively. In these equations the exchange and correlation portions of the chemical potential of a uniform electron gas appear as additional effective potentials. (The exchange portion of our effective potential differs from that due to Slater by a factor of $\frac{2}{3}$.) Electronic systems at finite temperatures and in magnetic fields are also treated by similar methods. An appendix deals with a further correction for systems with short-wavelength density oscillations.

47,477 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the ground state of an interacting electron gas in an external potential was investigated and it was proved that there exists a universal functional of the density, called F[n(mathrm{r})], independent of the potential of the electron gas.
Abstract: This paper deals with the ground state of an interacting electron gas in an external potential $v(\mathrm{r})$. It is proved that there exists a universal functional of the density, $F[n(\mathrm{r})]$, independent of $v(\mathrm{r})$, such that the expression $E\ensuremath{\equiv}\ensuremath{\int}v(\mathrm{r})n(\mathrm{r})d\mathrm{r}+F[n(\mathrm{r})]$ has as its minimum value the correct ground-state energy associated with $v(\mathrm{r})$. The functional $F[n(\mathrm{r})]$ is then discussed for two situations: (1) $n(\mathrm{r})={n}_{0}+\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{n}(\mathrm{r})$, $\frac{\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{n}}{{n}_{0}}\ensuremath{\ll}1$, and (2) $n(\mathrm{r})=\ensuremath{\phi}(\frac{\mathrm{r}}{{r}_{0}})$ with $\ensuremath{\phi}$ arbitrary and ${r}_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$. In both cases $F$ can be expressed entirely in terms of the correlation energy and linear and higher order electronic polarizabilities of a uniform electron gas. This approach also sheds some light on generalized Thomas-Fermi methods and their limitations. Some new extensions of these methods are presented.

38,160 citations

Book
01 Feb 1974
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors define an order parameter statistical theories of the nematic order phenomonological description of the nematic-isotopic mixtures and describe the properties of these mixtures.
Abstract: Part 1 Liquid crystals - main types and properties: introduction - what is a liquid crystal? the building blocks nematics and cholesterics smectics columnar phases more on long-, quasi-long and short-range order remarkable features of liquid crystals. Part 2 Long- and short-range order in nematics: definition of an order parameter statistical theories of the nematic order phenomonological description of the nematic-isotopic mixtures. Part 3 Static distortion in a nematic single crystal: principles of the continuum theory magnetic field effects electric field effects in an insulating nematic fluctuations in the alignment hydrostatics of nematics. Part 4 Defects and textures in nematics: observations disclination lines point disclinations walls under magnetic fields umbilics surface disclinations. Part 5 Dynamical properties of nematics: the equations of "nematodynamics" experiments measuring the Leslie co-efficients convective instabilities under electric fields molecular motions. Part 6 Cholesterics: optical properties of an ideal helix agents influencing the pitch dynamical properties textures and defects in cholesterics. Part 7 Smectics: symmetry of the main smectic phases continuum description of smectics A and C remarks on phase and precritical phenomena.

9,683 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
29 Aug 1997-Science
TL;DR: In this article, a general approach for multilayers by consecutive adsorption of polyanions and polycations has been proposed and has been extended to other materials such as proteins or colloids.
Abstract: Multilayer films of organic compounds on solid surfaces have been studied for more than 60 years because they allow fabrication of multicomposite molecular assemblies of tailored architecture. However, both the Langmuir-Blodgett technique and chemisorption from solution can be used only with certain classes of molecules. An alternative approach—fabrication of multilayers by consecutive adsorption of polyanions and polycations—is far more general and has been extended to other materials such as proteins or colloids. Because polymers are typically flexible molecules, the resulting superlattice architectures are somewhat fuzzy structures, but the absence of crystallinity in these films is expected to be beneficial for many potential applications.

9,593 citations

Book
01 May 1984
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present correlation, analysis, and prediction of adsorption equilibria, including correlation, correlation, and analysis of adorption Equilibria.
Abstract: List of Symbols. Microporous Adsorbents. Physical Adsorption and the Characterization of Porous Adsorbents. Thermodynamics of Adsorption. Correlation, Analysis, and Prediction of Adsorption Equilibria. Diffusion in Porous Media. Kinetics of Sorption in Batch Systems. Flow Through Packed Beds. Dynamics of Adsorption Columns: Single--Transition Systems. Dynamics of Adsorption Columns: Multiple Transition Systems. Chromatographic Separation Processes. Adsorption Separation Processes: I. Cyclic Batch Systems. Adsorption Separation Processes: II. Continous Counter Current Systems. Appendixes. Index.

4,577 citations


"Density functional theory for chemi..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...is concerned with applications of DFT to (1) surface tension and interfacial behavior, (2) adsorption of gas and materials characterization, (3) wetting transitions, (4) solvation, (5) freezing and melting transitions, (6) phase behavior of liquid crystals, (7) properties of polymeric materials and composites, and (8) molecular self-assembly....

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