Liquid-vapor equilibrium and surface tension of nonconformal molecular fluids

Molecular dynamics simulations at constant temperature have been performed on the liquid-vapor interface for fluids characterized by a recently introduced three-parameter potential. This potential is a modification of the well-known spherical Kihara interaction and is termed approximate nonconformal (ANC). It has been used successfully to describe many real molecules in the gaseous phase. Besides the usual molecular energy and size, the ANC potential introduces a third parameter s, called softness, to measure the form of the potential profile. Study of these systems shows that their critical and interfacial properties follow very closely those of four selected substances: argon, methane, propane, and hexane. Deviations of the properties predicted from the experimental values are analyzed and their probable causes are determined. The critical properties of ANC fluids and their dependence on s are also obtained via first-order perturbation theory in the form of an augmented van der Waals model. Analysis of the results shows that ANC potential functions can be used as reliable effective interactions for real dense fluids.