Free energy landscapes for homogeneous nucleation of ice for a monatomic water model.

We simulate the homogeneous nucleation of ice from supercooled liquid water at 220 K in the isobaric-isothermal ensemble using the MW monatomic water potential. Monte Carlo simulations using umbrella sampling are performed in order to determine the nucleation free energy barrier. We find the Gibbs e...

Ամբողջական նկարագրություն

Մատենագիտական մանրամասներ
Հիմնական հեղինակներ: Reinhardt, A, Doye, J
Ձևաչափ: Journal article
Լեզու:English
Հրապարակվել է: American Institute of Physics 2012
Նկարագրություն
Ամփոփում:We simulate the homogeneous nucleation of ice from supercooled liquid water at 220 K in the isobaric-isothermal ensemble using the MW monatomic water potential. Monte Carlo simulations using umbrella sampling are performed in order to determine the nucleation free energy barrier. We find the Gibbs energy profile to be relatively consistent with that predicted by classical nucleation theory; the free energy barrier to nucleation was determined to be ~18 k(B)T and the critical nucleus comprised ~85 ice particles. Growth from the supercooled liquid gives clusters that are predominantly cubic, whilst starting with a pre-formed subcritical nucleus of cubic or hexagonal ice results in the growth of predominantly that phase of ice only.