Application of the symmetric Poisson–Boltzmann theory to a model colloidal mixture

Abstract

A symmetric Poisson–Boltzmann theory is used to analyse the structure of a primitive model colloidal system which contains either 4 or 6 components. The approach symmetrizes the pair distribution function g_ij(r) between two asymmetric charged species with respect to an interchange of the indices. Good agreement is found with molecular dynamics simulation structural properties when the exclusion volume term is modelled by the Percus–Yevick uncharged hard sphere radial distribution function.