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Title: Molecular dynamics force-field refinement against quasi-elastic neutron scattering data

Abstract

Quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) is one of the experimental techniques of choice for probing the dynamics at length and time scales that are also in the realm of full-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. This overlap enables extension of current fitting methods that use time-independent equilibrium measurements to new methods fitting against dynamics data. We present an algorithm that fits simulation-derived incoherent dynamical structure factors "against QENS data probing the diffusive dynamics of the system. Here, we showcase the difficulties inherent to this type of fitting problem, namely, the disparity between simulation and experiment environment, as well as limitations in the simulation due to incomplete sampling of phase space. We discuss a methodology to overcome these difficulties and apply it to a set of full-atom MD simulations for the purpose of refining the force-field parameter governing the activation energy of methyl rotation in the octa-methyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane molecule. Furthermore, our optimal simulated activation energy agrees with the experimentally derived value up to a 5% difference, well within experimental error. We believe the method will find applicability to other types of diffusive motions and other representation of the systems such as coarse-grain models where empirical fitting is essential. Finally, the refinementmore » method can be extended to the coherent dynamic structure factor with no additional effort.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1256799
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1324160
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 12; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1549-9618
Publisher:
American Chemical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; 97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; MD; QENS; force field; neutron scattering; quasi-elastic; molecular dynamics

Citation Formats

Borreguero Calvo, Jose M., and Lynch, Vickie E. Molecular dynamics force-field refinement against quasi-elastic neutron scattering data. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1021/acs.jctc.5b00878.
Borreguero Calvo, Jose M., & Lynch, Vickie E. Molecular dynamics force-field refinement against quasi-elastic neutron scattering data. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jctc.5b00878
Borreguero Calvo, Jose M., and Lynch, Vickie E. 2015. "Molecular dynamics force-field refinement against quasi-elastic neutron scattering data". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jctc.5b00878. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1256799.
@article{osti_1256799,
title = {Molecular dynamics force-field refinement against quasi-elastic neutron scattering data},
author = {Borreguero Calvo, Jose M. and Lynch, Vickie E.},
abstractNote = {Quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) is one of the experimental techniques of choice for probing the dynamics at length and time scales that are also in the realm of full-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. This overlap enables extension of current fitting methods that use time-independent equilibrium measurements to new methods fitting against dynamics data. We present an algorithm that fits simulation-derived incoherent dynamical structure factors "against QENS data probing the diffusive dynamics of the system. Here, we showcase the difficulties inherent to this type of fitting problem, namely, the disparity between simulation and experiment environment, as well as limitations in the simulation due to incomplete sampling of phase space. We discuss a methodology to overcome these difficulties and apply it to a set of full-atom MD simulations for the purpose of refining the force-field parameter governing the activation energy of methyl rotation in the octa-methyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane molecule. Furthermore, our optimal simulated activation energy agrees with the experimentally derived value up to a 5% difference, well within experimental error. We believe the method will find applicability to other types of diffusive motions and other representation of the systems such as coarse-grain models where empirical fitting is essential. Finally, the refinement method can be extended to the coherent dynamic structure factor with no additional effort.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.jctc.5b00878},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1256799}, journal = {Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation},
issn = {1549-9618},
number = 1,
volume = 12,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Nov 23 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Mon Nov 23 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

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