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Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Water Structure and Diffusion in a 1 nm Diameter Silica Nanopore as a Function of Surface Charge and Alkali Metal Counterion Identity

Journal Article · · Journal of Physical Chemistry. C
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [5]
  1. CEA Marcoule, DE2D SEVT (France); Princeton University
  2. CEA Marcoule, DE2D SEVT (France)
  3. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Université de Poitiers/CNRS (France)
  4. Univ. of North Texas, Denton, TX (United States)
  5. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
Water confined in nanopores-particularly in pores narrower than 2 nm-displays distinct physicochemical properties that remain incompletely examined despite their importance in nanofluidics, molecular biology, geology, and materials sciences. In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the coordination structure and mobility of water and alkali metals (Li, Na, K, Cs) inside a 1 nm diameter cylindrical silica nanopore as a function of surface charge density, a model system particularly relevant to the alteration kinetics of silicate glasses and minerals in geologic formations. We find that the presence of a negative surface charge and adsorbed counterions within the pore strongly impacts water structure and dynamics. In particular, it significantly orients water O-H bonds toward the surface and slows water diffusion by almost 1 order of magnitude. Ion crowding in the charged nanopore enhances the tendency of counterions to coordinate closely with the silica surface, which moderates the impact of ions on water dynamics. Co-ions are strongly excluded from the nanopore at all surface charges, suggesting that the 1 nm diameter cylindrical silica nanopores likely exhibit nearly ideal semipermeable membrane transport properties.
Research Organization:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Performance and Design of Nuclear Waste Forms and Containers (WastePD); Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0016584; SC0018419
OSTI ID:
1598821
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1539272
Journal Information:
Journal of Physical Chemistry. C, Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry. C Journal Issue: 31 Vol. 122; ISSN 1932-7447
Publisher:
American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (7)

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Hydrogen bonding interactions of H2O and SiOH on a boroaluminosilicate glass corroded in aqueous solution journal January 2020
Electrokinetic flow of an aqueous electrolyte in amorphous silica nanotubes journal January 2018
Interfacial reactions of Cu( ii ) adsorption and hydrolysis driven by nano-scale confinement journal January 2020
A new method for measurement and quantification of tracer diffusion in nanoconfined liquids journal January 2020
Time resolved alkali silicate decondensation by sodium hydroxide solution journal January 2020

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