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At least 325 records · Page 18

Computational Prediction of Water Sorption in Facilitated Transport Membranes

Polymeric facilitated transport membranes (FTMs) have emerged as an innovative class of promising carbon capture technology. Studies have shown that the transport properties of an FTM are significantly influenced by its water uptake. In order to better quantify FTM performance, we herein explore the potential of computational techniques to predict the equilibrium water uptake values of FTMs. Two prediction approaches were examined. First, the water sorption was explicitly simulated by iteratively conducting grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Second, the water sorption was predicted based on the chemical potential of the adsorbed water, which was calculated using the Widom insertion or continuous fractional component Monte Carlo (CFCMC) method. The chemical potential-based approach with CFCMC demonstrated good prediction of the equilibrium water uptake values of FTMs with poly(N-vinylformamide-co-vinylamine) as fixed-site carrier and 2-(1-piperazinyl)ethylamine sarcosinate as mobile carrier. The predicted water uptake values increased with increasing mobile carrier content and were in good agreement with the experimental values. Furthermore, the higher water uptake promoted the diffusion of CO 2 , N 2 , and mobile carrier as well as slightly stifled the sorption of N 2 . Such an approach significantly contributes to a more comprehensive theoretical evaluation of FTMs.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

An intermediate model for fitting triplet–triplet annihilation in phosphorescent organic light emitting diode materials

Triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA) is one of the primary contributors to efficiency roll-off and permanent material degradation in phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. Here, the two limiting case models typically used to quantify this quenching mechanism are multi-step Dexter and single-step Förster, which, respectively, assume ideal Fickian diffusion or perfect trapping of triplet excitons. For device-relevant guest doping levels (typically 5–12 vol. %), both significant diffusion of excitons and trapping due to spatial and energetic disorder exist, so neither conventional model fits experimental data well. We develop and validate an intermediate TTA model, which is a weighted average of the limiting cases of pure radiative decay (no TTA) and multi-step Dexter based TTA that returns an effective TTA rate constant and a parameter quantifying the portion of well-isolated excitons. Kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements of an archetype host–guest system demonstrate that our intermediate model provides significantly improved fits with more realistic physical values, is more robust to variations in experimental conditions, and provides an analysis framework for the effects of trapping on TTA.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

"Source Term Modeling for Advanced Gas Micro-Reactors"

Maintaining the safety of the public, environment, and operating personnel is the most important factor in designing, operating, maintaining, and decommissioning nuclear reactors. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the development of micro-reactors employing TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO)-coated particle fuel. In gas reactors, TRISO fuel plays an important role in the safety case for high temperature reactors because of the fission product retention properties of the fuel. This ability enables the use of a functional containment strategy for the reactor where multiple barriers are used to prevent fission product release to the environment. Part of the safety analysis of these advanced reactors is the assessment of radionuclide releases under normal and accident conditions through the multiple credited safety barriers. Using conservative assumptions, a mechanistic analysis can be performed to quantify these releases that combines the probabilistic assessment of failure with analytic solutions to radionuclide transport equations. Source term modeling for TRISO fuel has been performed for previous reactor designs; however, these models are outdated, in many cases proprietary, and need updates to be applied to the current state of TRISO fuel technology and alternative gas reactor core configurations [1]. Currently, the only publicly available source term assessment for gas reactors is an expert-based Monte Carlo simulation based on the effectiveness of the fuel kernel, coating layers, and graphite block in a modular high temperature gas reactor [2]. Thus, there is a need to develop a simple, versatile, and mechanistic model of fission product release and transport in gas reactor cores that could be applied to a variety of reactors through user inputs and reactor-specific radionuclide inventories. The release is calculated by the diffusion of the key safety important fission products through the kernel, silicon carbide (SiC), graphite for both intact and defective TRISO particles based on fuel and graphite temperatures in the reactor under normal operation. These releases from the fuel enter the coolant where they can plate-out on cooler surfaces. A clean-up model is included for designs with a coolant purification system to remove fission gases. This initial distribution of fission products in the reactor serves as an initial condition for potential releases under postulated accident conditions. The model then can calculate the fission product release for any transient temperature profile and fission product releases can then be used to assess radiological dose to the workers and the public using conventional dose tools. Data on the diffusion of fission products is based on historic German TRISO experiments and the more current Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) TRISO fuel development program. The model is coded in python with inputs and outputs in excel spreadsheets, as well as python plotting utilities to aid in the interpretation of the results. References: [1] INL, NGNP Mechanistic Source Term White Paper, INL-10-17997, July 2010. [2] David A. Petti, Richard R. Hobbins, Peter Lowry, Hans Gougar, “Representative Source Terms and The Influence of Reactor Attributes on Functional Containment in Modular High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors,” Nuclear Technology, Vol. 184, p. 181-197, Nov. 2013.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Understanding grain boundary segregation under irradiation: A mesoscale modeling study

Grain boundaries (GBs) are an important component in the design of irradiation resistant materials as they play a crucial role as point defect sinks for non-equilibrium vacancies and self-interstitials. However, in the presence of sustained point defect fluxes, the coupled transport of atomic components with inherently different diffusivities often leads to radiation-induced segregation (RIS), with undesired effects on properties such as intergranular corrosion and stress-assisted cracking. In this talk, we investigate the fundamental mechanisms leading to GB segregation in BCC FeCr-based alloys using multiscale modeling and experiments. A phase-field model is employed to account for both thermodynamic and kinetic segregation mechanisms. The full Onsager transport matrix is derived using kinetic Monte Carlo, molecular dynamics, and kinetic cluster expansion (KineCluE) calculations. The thermodynamics of GB segregation is described via an atomic density-based modification to the CALPHAD free energy. The modeling predictions are then compared against segregation data from atom probe characterization for various temperatures, compositions, and neutron irradiation conditions. We will conclude by discussing the utility of the multiscale modeling approach to shed light on the fundamental mechanisms leading to solute-GB interaction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Performance of microchannel plate based detectors for <25 keV x rays: Monte Carlo simulations and comparisons with experimental results

We present the results of Monte Carlo simulations of the microchannel plate (MCP) response to x rays in the 250 eV to 25 keV energy range as a function of both x-ray energy and impact angle and their comparisons with the experimental results from the X8A beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Incoming x rays interact with the lead glass of the microchannel plate, producing photoelectrons. Transport of the photoelectrons is neglected in this model, and it is assumed that photoelectrons deposit all their energy at the point they are created. This deposition leads to the generation of many secondary electrons, some fraction of which diffuse to the MCP pore surface where they can initiate secondary electron cascades in the pore under an external voltage bias. X-ray penetration through multiple MCP pore walls is increasingly important above 5 keV, and the effect of this penetration on MCP performance is studied. In agreement with past measurements, we find that the dependence of MCP sensitivity with angle relative to the pore bias changes from a cotangent dependence to angular independence and then proceeds to a secant dependence as the x-ray energy increases. We also find that with the increasing x-ray energy, the MCP gain sensitivity as a function of bias voltage decreases. The simulations also demonstrate that for x rays incident normal to the MCP surface, spatial resolution shows little dependence on the x-ray energy but degrades with the increasing x-ray energy as the angle of incidence relative to the surface normal increases. This agrees with experimental measurements. Simulation studies have also been completed for MCPs gated with a subnanosecond voltage pulse. In this work, we find that the optical gate profile width increases as the x-ray energy is increased above 5 keV, a consequence of increased x-ray penetration at energies >5 keV. Simulations of the pulsed dynamic range show that the dynamic range varies between ~100 and 1000 depending on x-ray energy and peak voltage.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

From Micro-environments to Macroscopic Effects: How the Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Drives Cu Cathodic Corrosion

Cathodic corrosion of copper (Cu) has posed a significant challenge for over a century, impeding various technological progresses such as electrochemical conversion of CO 2 (eCO 2 RR) into fuels and other value-added carbon products. Here, in this study, employing a combined Density Functional Theory (DFT) and kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulation approach, we delve into the atomistic level mechanism driving this phenomenon in Cu. Our hypothesis posits the pivotal role of alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in facilitating cathodic corrosion in Cu. We rigorously develop a pH-dependent hydroxide (OH) adsorption mechanism and calculate the equilibrium OH coverage (𝜃 OH ) at varying pH levels, the thermodynamic stability of subsurface oxygen (O sub ), as well as the Cu-vacancy mediated diffusion of subsurface oxygens (O sub ). Through comprehensive analysis, we establish correlation among various microenvironments, including oxygen diffusion in subsurface layers, pH-dependent OH adsorption, and Cu dissolution into the electrolyte as (Cu-OH) complexes. Furthermore, our investigation explores the correlation between surface coordination environment of active sites and cathodic corrosion of Cu. Finally, by integrating DFT-derived thermodynamic data into a kMC model, we successfully predict the formation of experimentally observed corrosion pits on Cu-surfaces. This combined approach not only advances our fundamental understanding of Cu cathodic corrosion but also offers insights crucial for developing effective corrosion mitigation strategies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Equilibrium Separation of Siloxanes in Metal–Organic Frameworks

We present an in silico assessment of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for the equilibrium separation of linear and cyclic siloxanes. Using a combination of configurational bias/continuous fractional component Monte Carlo (CB/CFCMC) simulations and Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST), we investigated the adsorption of both equimolar and nonequimolar mixtures of linear and cyclic siloxanes in a selection of synthesizable MOFs with medium to large pore volumes. We showed that configurational entropy effects drive the preferential adsorption of linear siloxanes over cyclic siloxanes. Based on synthesizability metrics we identified ZIF-70 as a promising adsorbent for the separation of linear and cyclic siloxanes. Self-diffusivities of linear and cyclic siloxanes in ZIF-70 calculated from molecular dynamics simulations show that equilibrium can be reached on reasonable time scales. We explored vacuum-temperature swing adsorption (VTSA) as a potential method for the recovery of adsorbed linear siloxanes from ZIF-70, achieving a 75% reduction in adsorbed phase concentration. Additionally, we demonstrated that supercritical CO 2 offers an alternative desorption strategy by displacing adsorbed linear siloxanes in ZIF-70 at pressures above 200 bar driven by entropy effects.

Adsorption↗

Reexamination of hydrodynamic phonon transport in thin graphite

The recent hydrodynamic phonon transport theory for graphitic materials has been supported by the measurements of the second sound at temperatures up to about 100 K. When boundary scattering becomes comparable to momentum-conserving normal phonon scattering processes that are responsible for phonon hydrodynamics, Poiseuille phonon flow phenomena can emerge to give rise to unique size-dependent thermal conductivity in thin graphite. Here, we examine the thickness range for the Poiseuille phonon flow to become observable in thin graphite with the use of both deviational Monte Carlo simulation of the Peierls-Boltzmann transport equation and four-probe thermal transport measurements. As the basal-plane thermal conductivity calculated by prior first-principles theories saturates to the graphite value when the thickness is increased to five graphene layers, the phonon dispersion of graphite is used in the current calculations of thin graphite of micrometer thickness and a 23-layer thick ultrathin graphite (UTG) sample. The calculations show that diffuse surface scattering by surface defects can lead to Poiseuille phonon flow at 50 K in thin graphite with the thickness close to several micrometers but not in the 65 μm thin graphite and 23-layer UTG, where phonon scattering by the top and bottom surfaces become, respectively, much less and more frequent than the normal processes. In addition, the calculation results with the bulk graphite dispersion and diffuse surface scattering show decreased basal-plane thermal conductivity with decreasing thickness, opposite to recent thermocouple measurements of thin graphite samples. In comparison, the calculation results reveal that partially diffuse surface defect scattering can yield the four-probe measurement results of UTG samples, which are prepared here with an improved process to minimize surface contamination.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Conditional Karhunen-Loève expansion for uncertainty quantification and active learning in partial differential equation models

We use a conditional Karhunen-Lo` eve (KL) model to quantify and reduce uncertainty in a stochastic partial differential equation (SPDE) problem with partially-known space-dependent coefficient, Y (x). We assume that a small number of Y (x) measurements are available and model Y (x) with a KL expansion. We achieve reduction in uncertainty by conditioning the KL expansion coefficients on measurements. We consider two approaches for conditioning the KL expansion: In Approach 1, we condition the KL model first and then truncate it. In Approach 2, we first truncate the KL expansion and then condition it. We employ the conditional KL expansion together with Monte Carlo and sparse grid collocation methods to compute the moments of the solution of the SPDE problem. Uncertainty of the problem is further reduced by adaptively selecting additional observation locations using two active learning methods. Method 1 minimizes the variance of the PDE coefficient, while Method 2 minimizes the variance of the solution of the PDE. We demonstrate that conditioning leads to dimension reduction of the KL representation of Y (x). For a linear diffusion SPDE with uncertain log-normal coefficient, we show that Approach 1 provides a more accurate approximation of the conditional log-normal coefficient and solution of the SPDE than Approach 2 for the same number of random dimensions in a conditional KL expansion. Furthermore, Approach 2 provides a good estimate for the number of terms of the truncated KL expansion of the conditional field of Approach 1. Finally, we demonstrate that active learning based on Method 2 is more efficient for uncertainty reduction in the SPDE’s states (i.e., it leads to a larger reduction of the variance) than active learning using Method 2.

Conditioned Karhunen-Lo` eve expanion, machine lea↗

Effect of Helium Flux on Near-surface Helium Accumulation in Plasma-Exposed Tungsten

We report results of object kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) simulations aimed at understanding the effect of helium flux on the near-surface helium accumulation in plasma-facing tungsten, which is initially defect-free and has a W(100) surface orientation. These OKMC simulations are performed at 933 K for fluxes ranging from 10 22 to 4 × 10 25 He/m 2 s, with 100 eV helium atoms impinging on a W(100) surface up to a maximum fluence of 4×10 19 He/m 2 . In the near-surface region, helium clusters interact elastically with the free surface. The interaction is attractive and results in the drift of mobile helium clusters towards the surface as well as increased trap mutation rates. The associated kinetics and energetics of the above-mentioned processes obtained from molecular dynamics simulations are also considered. The OKMC simulations indicate that as the flux decreases, the retention of implanted helium decreases, and its depth distribution shifts to deeper below the surface in initially pristine tungsten. Furthermore, the fraction of retained helium diffusing into the bulk increases as well, so much so that for 10 22 He/m 2 s, almost all of the retained helium diffused into the bulk with minimal/negligible near-surface helium accumulation. At a given flux, with increasing fluence, the fraction of retained helium initially decreases and then starts to increase after reaching a minimum. The occurrence of the retention minimum shifts to higher fluences as the flux decreases. Although the near-surface helium accumulation spreads deeper into the material with decreasing flux and increasing fluence, the spread appears to saturate at depths between 80 and 100 nm. Finally, we present a detailed analysis of the influence of helium flux on the size and depth distribution of total helium and helium bubbles.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Effect of Flexibility in Molecular Simulations of Carbon Dioxide Adsorption and Diffusion in a Cuprous Triazolate Framework

Using fixed atom force fields to model gas adsorption in flexible metal organic frameworks (MOFs) is known to pose difficulties in accurately reproducing and predicting experimental results. This paper studies the difference in accuracy between flexible and fixed atom force fields in reproducing CO 2 adsorption measurements in MAF-2 ([Cu(etz)]∞ (MAF-2, Hetz) 3,5-diethyl-1,2,4-triazole), an NbO-type triazolate scaffold with a bcu cavity system and attached ethyl groups. The flexible force field used to run the hybrid molecular dynamics and grand canonical Monte Carlo calculations were generated using the QuickFF software incorporating van der Waals parameters from the Universal Force Field (UFF) and density derived electrostatic and chemical (DDEC) charges. The fixed atom force field used was composed of UFF van der Waals parameters together with DDEC charges. The calculations were run at 298 K and at pressures of 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, and 1 bar. It was observed that for this MOF the rigid force field overpredicted gas adsorption, whereas the flexible force field values closely matched experimental data. In the flexible structure, the freely moving ethyl groups of MAF-2 hindered adsorption, reducing the interaction energy between CO 2 and the N atoms of the triazolate framework as well as reducing the size of the largest cavity diameter. Here, the combination of these factors led to improved prediction of adsorption values with the flexible forcefield as compared to the rigid forcefield, demonstrating the need for modeling MOFs in a way more indicative of their behavior.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Reshaping of Truncated Pd Nanocubes: Energetic and Kinetic Analysis Integrating Transmission Electron Microscopy with Atomistic-Level and Coarse-Grained Modeling

Stability against reshaping of metallic fcc nanocrystals synthesized with tailored far-from-equilibrium shapes is key to maintaining optimal properties for applications such as catalysis. Yet Arrhenius analysis of experimental reshaping kinetics, and appropriate theory and simulation, is lacking. As such, we use TEM to monitor the reshaping of Pd nanocubes of ~25 nm side length between 410 °C (over ~4.5 h) and 440 °C (over ~0.25 h), extracting a high effective energy barrier of E eff ≈ 4.6 eV. We also provide an analytic determination of the energy variation along the optimal pathway for reshaping that involves transfer of atoms across the nanocube surface from edges or corners to form new layers on side {100} facets. The effective barrier from this analysis is shown to increase strongly with the degree of truncation of edges and corners in the synthesized nanocube. Theory matches experiment for the appropriate degree of truncation. In addition, we perform simulations of a stochastic atomistic-level model incorporating a realistic description of diffusive hopping for undercoordinated surface atoms, thereby providing a visualization of the initial reshaping process.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A Square Pulse Thermoreflectance Technique for the Measurement of Thermal Properties

We report on a laser-based square pulse thermoreflectance (SPTR) technique for the measurement of thermal properties for a wide range of materials. SPTR adopts the pump-probe thermoreflectance principle to monitor the evolution of local temperature after square pulse excitation. The technique features a compact setup, high spatial resolution, and fast data collection. By comparing the acquired SPTR signals with a continuum heat transfer model, material thermal properties can be obtained. Taking advantage of various spot sizes and modulation frequencies, SPTR can measure both the thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of poorly to moderately conductive materials and the thermal conductivity of conductive materials with satisfactory accuracy, with potential to be applied to more conductive materials. The technique was validated on three materials: fused silica, single crystal CaF2 and single crystal nickel (with conductivities ranging from 1 W·m -1 ·K -1 to 100 W·m -1 ·K -1 ) with typical measurement errors of 5 % to 20 %. The leading sources of error have been identified by Monte Carlo simulations, and the primary limitations of SPTR are discussed. The compact, fiberized platform we describe here will allow instruments based on this methodology to be deployed in complex, multi-analytical environments for the type of high-throughput correlative analyses that are key to materials design and discovery.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Iodine recombination in xenon solvent: Clusters in the gas to liquid-like state transition

Supercritical fluids (SCFs) have attracted significant attention as solvents for chemical reactions due to their unique properties, such as high diffusivity, low viscosity, and tunable solvation properties. These properties profoundly influence reaction kinetics and are often attributed to the formation of molecular clusters within SCFs. To study the effect of supercritical solvent on chemical reactivity and dynamics of reactions, one needs to understand the dynamics of clusters in supercritical fluid. Extensive experiments on the photodissociation and recombination of iodine in supercritical fluids served as a model system for understanding these effects. Experimental studies have been complemented by theoretical and computational investigations, which mostly employ Monte Carlo or empirical molecular dynamics simulations. However, computational studies using non-reactive force fields and ab initio approaches present challenges in capturing reactive processes at larger scales within supercritical fluids. Here, in this work, we developed the ReaxFF parameters by training against quantum mechanics data. ReaxFF reactive force field based molecular dynamics simulations were performed, studying the dynamics of a xenon solvent and cage effect at different thermodynamic conditions for the iodine recombination reaction. We show that the conditions near the critical point are the optimal conditions to study the cage effect. We show that the average lifetime of xenon clusters ranging between 5 and 11 ps is comparable to iodine geminate recombination. Our simulation results of iodine recombination in xenon solvent demonstrate the higher probability of iodine molecule formation in the presence of xenon clusters. Finally, we show that the supercritical condition exhibits the highest recombination rate for iodine atoms.

Cage effect↗

Sequential Monte Carlo for Cut-Bayesian Posterior Computation

We propose a sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) method to efficiently and accurately compute cut-Bayesian posterior quantities of interest, variations of standard Bayesian approaches constructed primarily to account for model misspecification. We prove finite sample concentration bounds for estimators derived from the proposed method along with a linear tempering extension and apply these results to a realistic setting where a computer model is misspecified. We then illustrate the SMC method for inference in a modular chemical reactor example that includes submodels for reaction kinetics, turbulence, mass transfer, and diffusion. The samples obtained are commensurate with a direct-sampling approach that consists of running multiple Markov chains, with computational efficiency gains using the SMC method. Overall, the SMC method presented yields a novel, rigorous approach to computing with cut-Bayesian posterior distributions.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Surface Dynamics of Selective Hydration of Rutile TiO 2 : A Kinetic Monte Carlo Approach

The utility of atomic layer deposition (ALD) continues to expand beyond conformal thin-film fabrication to include area- or site-selective ALD. We previously identified a strategy for site-selective ALD (SS-ALD) via the evaluation of thermodynamically preferred hydration of rutile TiO 2 surfaces, as deduced from electronic structure calculations. Here, we report a novel kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model that allows for the investigation of surface dynamics and kinetics that improves our understanding of and intuition for the selective hydration strategy. Here we demonstrate the validity of the strategy with respect to step-edge defects for the lowest energy (110) facet as well as report results for the other common facets which agree with experimental STM observations. The results here indicate that the selective hydration strategy is feasible both thermodynamically (evaluated in our previous publication) and kinetically (from the KMC model). Because diffusion has a slower rate than others, we find that any proximity effects between terrace and defect sites are unlikely to affect the selective hydration strategy for rutile TiO 2 . The KMC model further provides relevant timescales for achieving selectivity experimentally and establishes the kinetic viability of the selective hydration approach to SS-ALD.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Fully generalized, turbulent trace impurity transport with Gkeyll and Flan in the DIII-D far-SOL

The Monte Carlo trace impurity turbulent transport code Flan is introduced for the first time. Flan follows impurities in a turbulent background plasma from Gkeyll using the Lorentz force to resolve the full particle gyro orbit. Collisions are handled using the Nanbu collision algorithm (Nanbu 1997 Phys. Rev. E 55 4642–52), and ionization/recombination is handled via ADAS coupling. The far-SOL of a generic DIII-D L-mode is simulated with and without the collision model to show how collisions affect radial tungsten transport. Anomalous diffusion coefficient (D r ) and pinch velocity (v p ) profiles are extracted from fits to the results. With collisions, D r and v p are between 0–1.0 m 2 s −1 and −100–100 m s −1 , respectively. Without collisions, D r and v p are between 0–0.3 m 2 s −1 and −50–50 m s −1 , respectively. Exponential fits to the radial W density profiles and experimental data from W deposition along a collector probe are in good agreement, demonstrating Flan as a useful interpretive modeling tool. Additional simulations show that impurity transport away from the wall increases with atomic number, though it is not clear why. Flan has the potential to better interpret existing data and improve reactor scale predictions of core contamination because the underlying physics model is very general and does not rely on arbitrary user-defined transport coefficients.

DIII-D↗

Extended kinetic lattice grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation method for transport of multicomponent ion mixtures through a model nanopore system

Abstract An extended version of the original kinetic lattice grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation method combined with mean field theory (KLGCMC/MF) ( J. Chem. Phys. 2007 , 127, 024706) is presented for the study of transport of multicomponent ion mixtures through a model nanopore. Comparison of the extended KLGCMC/MF (eKLGCMC/MF) simulation results with Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) calculations is also made to confirm the validity of the extended simulation approach. Unlike the original version of KLGCMC/MF simulation method that treats only a binary ionic solution with one cation and one anion species, this extended version can deal with a system that includes ternary ion mixtures. A diffusion probability algorithm is also added to the extended version of the simulation method to describe the inhomogeneous diffusivity of ions that is often observed in the ion permeation through nanopores. Both Legendre and Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind were tested as a basis set for the basis set expansion (BSE) method with which to calculate the reaction field energy in the eKLGCMC/MF simulation. It turned out that the Legendre polynomials perform better than the Chebyshev polynomials, and as a result, the Legendre polynomials were implemented in the current version of eKLGCMC/MF simulation algorithm. The presented eKLGCMC/MF simulation method with new features finds its potential applications in nanopore systems where the correlation between ion species with the same sign of charges plays a key role such as oscillating ion currents or anomalous mole fraction effects.

Choi, Inhyeok↗