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Title: Forward flux sampling calculation of homogeneous nucleation rates from aqueous NaCl solutions

Abstract

We used molecular dynamics simulations and the path sampling technique known as forward flux sampling to study homogeneous nucleation of NaCl crystals from supersaturated aqueous solutions at 298 K and 1 bar. Nucleation rates were obtained for a range of salt concentrations for the Joung-Cheatham NaCl force field combined with the Extended Simple Point Charge (SPC/E) water model. The calculated nucleation rates are significantly lower than the available experimental measurements. The estimates for the nucleation rates in this work do not rely on classical nucleation theory, but the pathways observed in the simulations suggest that the nucleation process is better described by classical nucleation theory than an alternative interpretation based on Ostwald’s step rule, in contrast to some prior simulations of related models. In addition to the size of NaCl nucleus, we find that the crystallinity of a nascent cluster plays an important role in the nucleation process. Nuclei with high crystallinity were found to have higher growth probability and longer lifetimes, possibly because they are less exposed to hydration water.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering
  2. Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1512939
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1418078
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0002128; TG-CHE170059
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Chemical Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 148; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-9606
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Citation Formats

Jiang, Hao, Haji-Akbari, Amir, Debenedetti, Pablo G., and Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.. Forward flux sampling calculation of homogeneous nucleation rates from aqueous NaCl solutions. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1063/1.5016554.
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Jiang, Hao, Haji-Akbari, Amir, Debenedetti, Pablo G., & Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.. Forward flux sampling calculation of homogeneous nucleation rates from aqueous NaCl solutions. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5016554
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Jiang, Hao, Haji-Akbari, Amir, Debenedetti, Pablo G., and Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.. Thu . "Forward flux sampling calculation of homogeneous nucleation rates from aqueous NaCl solutions". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5016554. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1512939.
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@article{osti_1512939,
title = {Forward flux sampling calculation of homogeneous nucleation rates from aqueous NaCl solutions},
author = {Jiang, Hao and Haji-Akbari, Amir and Debenedetti, Pablo G. and Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.},
abstractNote = {We used molecular dynamics simulations and the path sampling technique known as forward flux sampling to study homogeneous nucleation of NaCl crystals from supersaturated aqueous solutions at 298 K and 1 bar. Nucleation rates were obtained for a range of salt concentrations for the Joung-Cheatham NaCl force field combined with the Extended Simple Point Charge (SPC/E) water model. The calculated nucleation rates are significantly lower than the available experimental measurements. The estimates for the nucleation rates in this work do not rely on classical nucleation theory, but the pathways observed in the simulations suggest that the nucleation process is better described by classical nucleation theory than an alternative interpretation based on Ostwald’s step rule, in contrast to some prior simulations of related models. In addition to the size of NaCl nucleus, we find that the crystallinity of a nascent cluster plays an important role in the nucleation process. Nuclei with high crystallinity were found to have higher growth probability and longer lifetimes, possibly because they are less exposed to hydration water.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5016554},
journal = {Journal of Chemical Physics},
number = 4,
volume = 148,
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {1}
}
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Journal Article:
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https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5016554
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Cited by: 36 works
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Figures / Tables:

FIG. 1 FIG. 1: Cumulative probability (black) and the committor probability pc(λ) (blue) as a function of order parameter (λ) at S = 2.7 and at 298 K and 1 bar. Dashed lines are guides to the eye.
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Calculation of critical nucleation rates by the persistent embryo method: application to quasi hard sphere models
    journal, January 2018

    • Ren, Shang; Sun, Yang; Zhang, Feng
    • Soft Matter, Vol. 14, Issue 45
    • DOI: 10.1039/c8sm01415a

    NaCl nucleation from brine in seeded simulations: Sources of uncertainty in rate estimates
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    • The Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 148, Issue 22
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    Communication: Nucleation rates of supersaturated aqueous NaCl using a polarizable force field
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    • Jiang, Hao; Debenedetti, Pablo G.; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.
    • The Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 149, Issue 14
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5053652

    Nucleation in aqueous NaCl solutions shifts from 1-step to 2-step mechanism on crossing the spinodal
    journal, March 2019

    • Jiang, Hao; Debenedetti, Pablo G.; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.
    • The Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 150, Issue 12
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5084248

    Liquid-liquid separation of aqueous solutions: A molecular dynamics study
    journal, June 2019

    • Yagasaki, Takuma; Matsumoto, Masakazu; Tanaka, Hideki
    • The Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 150, Issue 21
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5096429

    Seeding approach to bubble nucleation in superheated Lennard-Jones fluids
    journal, November 2019

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      Table I (p. 7)table
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