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Title: A computer simulation of the classic experiment on osmosis and osmotic pressure

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Physics; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.465421· OSTI ID:5983620
 [1];  [2]
  1. Chemical Engineering Department, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607 (United States)
  2. Physics Laboratory, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent (United Kingdom)

A novel computer simulation technique for studying fluids in confined geometries has been developed and used to replicate Pfeffer's experiment on osmosis in semipermeable membranes in 1877. Our results confirm the validity of van't Hoff's famous relationship for osmotic pressure over a wide range of concentrations, and also clearly establish its validity even for molecular systems. We believe this is the first theoretical validation of this result for such a wide range of concentrations, where no explicit assumption of ideality is made for the interactions of the solute molecules.

OSTI ID:
5983620
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Physics; (United States), Vol. 99:9; ISSN 0021-9606
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English