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Title: Elucidating the effects of adsorbent flexibility on fluid adsorption using simple models and flat-histogram sampling methods

Abstract

Using flat-histogram Monte Carlo methods, we investigate the adsorptive behavior of the square-well fluid in two simple slit-pore-like models intended to capture fundamental characteristics of flexible adsorbent materials. Both models require as input thermodynamic information about the flexible adsorbent material itself. An important component of this work involves formulating the flexible pore models in the appropriate thermodynamic (statistical mechanical) ensembles, namely, the osmotic ensemble and a variant of the grand-canonical ensemble. Two-dimensional probability distributions, which are calculated using flat-histogram methods, provide the information necessary to determine adsorption thermodynamics. For example, we are able to determine precisely adsorption isotherms, (equilibrium) phase transition conditions, limits of stability, and free energies for a number of different flexible adsorbent materials, distinguishable as different inputs into the models. While the models used in this work are relatively simple from a geometric perspective, they yield non-trivial adsorptive behavior, including adsorption-desorption hysteresis solely due to material flexibility and so-called “breathing” of the adsorbent. The observed effects can in turn be tied to the inherent properties of the bare adsorbent. Some of the effects are expected on physical grounds while others arise from a subtle balance of thermodynamic and mechanical driving forces. In addition, the computational strategy presentedmore » here can be easily applied to more complex models for flexible adsorbents.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Chemical Informatics Research Group, Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8380 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22311278
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Chemical Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 140; Journal Issue: 24; Other Information: (c) 2014 U.S. Government; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-9606
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; ADSORBENTS; ADSORPTION; ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS; DESORPTION; FLEXIBILITY; FLUIDS; FREE ENERGY; MONTE CARLO METHOD; PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS; PROBABILITY; THERMODYNAMICS

Citation Formats

Shen, Vincent K., E-mail: vincent.shen@nist.gov, and Siderius, Daniel W. Elucidating the effects of adsorbent flexibility on fluid adsorption using simple models and flat-histogram sampling methods. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4884124.
Shen, Vincent K., E-mail: vincent.shen@nist.gov, & Siderius, Daniel W. Elucidating the effects of adsorbent flexibility on fluid adsorption using simple models and flat-histogram sampling methods. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4884124
Shen, Vincent K., E-mail: vincent.shen@nist.gov, and Siderius, Daniel W. 2014. "Elucidating the effects of adsorbent flexibility on fluid adsorption using simple models and flat-histogram sampling methods". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4884124.
@article{osti_22311278,
title = {Elucidating the effects of adsorbent flexibility on fluid adsorption using simple models and flat-histogram sampling methods},
author = {Shen, Vincent K., E-mail: vincent.shen@nist.gov and Siderius, Daniel W.},
abstractNote = {Using flat-histogram Monte Carlo methods, we investigate the adsorptive behavior of the square-well fluid in two simple slit-pore-like models intended to capture fundamental characteristics of flexible adsorbent materials. Both models require as input thermodynamic information about the flexible adsorbent material itself. An important component of this work involves formulating the flexible pore models in the appropriate thermodynamic (statistical mechanical) ensembles, namely, the osmotic ensemble and a variant of the grand-canonical ensemble. Two-dimensional probability distributions, which are calculated using flat-histogram methods, provide the information necessary to determine adsorption thermodynamics. For example, we are able to determine precisely adsorption isotherms, (equilibrium) phase transition conditions, limits of stability, and free energies for a number of different flexible adsorbent materials, distinguishable as different inputs into the models. While the models used in this work are relatively simple from a geometric perspective, they yield non-trivial adsorptive behavior, including adsorption-desorption hysteresis solely due to material flexibility and so-called “breathing” of the adsorbent. The observed effects can in turn be tied to the inherent properties of the bare adsorbent. Some of the effects are expected on physical grounds while others arise from a subtle balance of thermodynamic and mechanical driving forces. In addition, the computational strategy presented here can be easily applied to more complex models for flexible adsorbents.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4884124},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22311278}, journal = {Journal of Chemical Physics},
issn = {0021-9606},
number = 24,
volume = 140,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jun 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sat Jun 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}