Specific Cation Effects on SCN(-)in Bulk Solution and at the Air-Water Interface

The large and sparsely hydrated thiocyanate anion, SCN-, plays a prominent role in the study of specific ion effects in biological, colloid, and atmospheric chemistry due to its extreme position in the Hofmeister series. Using atomistic modeling of aqueous SCN- solutions, we provide novel insight at the molecular scale into the experimentally observed differences in ion pairing, clustering, reorientation dynamics, mutual diffusion, and solubility between the sodium, Na+, and the potassium, K+, salt. Compared to KSCN, NaSCN has a less pronounced tendency to ion pairing; nevertheless, at high salt concentrations, we observe a strong attraction between Na+ cations and the nitrogen end of SCN-, resulting in larger and more closely packed ion clusters. To accurately model aqueous SCN- solutions in computer simulations, we develop a thermodynamically consistent force field rooted in quantum-chemical calculations and refined using the Kirkwood-Buff theory. The force field is compatible with the extended simple point charge and three-point optimal point charge classical water models and reproduces experimental activity derivatives and air-water surface tension for a wide range of salt concentrations.