Molecular Mechanism of Gas Solubility in Liquid: Constant Chemical Potential Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Abstract

Accurate prediction of gas solubility in a liquid is crucial in many areas of chemistry, and a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanism of the gas solvation continues to be an active area of research. Here, we extend the idea of the constant chemical potential molecular dynamics (CμMD) approach to the calculation of the gas solubility in the liquid under constant gas chemical potential conditions. As a representative example, we utilize this method to calculate the isothermal solubility of carbon dioxide in water. Additionally, we provide microscopic insight into the mechanism of solvation that preferentially occurs in areas of the surface where the hydrogen network is broken. © 2020 American Chemical Society