Molecular theory of the static dielectric constant of dipolar fluids

The link between the static dielectric constant and the microscopic intermolecular interactions is the Kirkwood g(1) factor, which depends on the orientational structure of the fluid. Over the years, there have been several attempts to provide an accurate description of the orientational structure of dipolar fluids using molecular theories. However, these approaches were either limited to mean-field approximations for the pair correlation function or, more recently, limited to adjusting the orientational dependence to simulation data. Here, we derive a theory for the dielectric constant of dipolar hard-sphere fluids using the augmented modified mean-field approximation. Qualitative agreement is achieved throughout all relevant thermodynamic states, as demonstrated by a comparison with simulation data from the literature. Excellent quantitative agreement can be obtained using a single empirical scaling factor, the physical origin of which is analyzed and accounted for. In order to predict the dielectric constant of the Stockmayer fluid (Lennard-Jones plus dipole potential), we use an adjusted version of the expression for the dipolar hard-sphere fluid. Comparing theoretical predictions with newly generated simulation data, we show that it is possible to obtain excellent agreement with simulation by performing the calculations at a corresponding state using the same scaling factor. Finally, we compare the theoretical orientational structure of the Stockmayer fluid with that obtained from simulations. The simulated structure is calculated following a post-processing methodology that we introduce by deriving an original expression that relates the proposed theory to the histogram of relative dipole angles. Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.

Automated summary

The link between the static dielectric constant and the orientational structure of dipolar fluids is investigated using the augmented modified mean-field approximation. The theory provides qualitative and quantitative agreement with simulation data, and a single empirical scaling factor is used to improve the agreement. The theory is also extended to predict the dielectric constant of the Stockmayer fluid, and excellent agreement with simulation data is achieved. An original expression is derived to relate the theoretical orientational structure to the histogram of relative dipole angles obtained from simulations.