Solvation forces in molecular fluids

Abstract

From an expression for the thermodynamic potential, the density profile and solvation force between two planar surfaces separated by a molecular fluid is studied. In particular, a reference interaction site model (RISM) symmetric diatomic molecular fluid has been used. The solvation force is found to be an oscillatory function of the surface to surface separation, as in simple fluid systems, but of a smaller magnitude and range than in an equivalent simple fluid system.