Weighted-density-functional approach to the structure of nonuniform fluids

The structure of simple nonuniform fluids is studied using a new weighted-density-functional approach based on the concept of universality of the free energy density functional and an assumption of a local dependence of its functional derivative on the weighted density. The theory uses as input the second-order direct correlation function and the radial distribution function of the corresponding uniform fluid which are obtained here from the integral equation theory with an accurate closure relation. The calculated numerical results on the density profiles of several confined inhomogeneous fluids are shown to compare quite well with the available simulation data. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.