화학공학소재연구정보센터
Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.114, No.1, 504-512, 2001
Effects of external electric field on the interfacial properties of weakly dipolar fluid
In the framework of modified mean-field density-functional theory, effects of a uniform electric field on the interfacial properties of a model dipolar fluid [Teixeira and Telo da Gama, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 3, 111 (1991)] are studied. Both density and orientational order-parameter profiles of the planar vapor-liquid interface are obtained as a function of the field strength. For the dipolar fluids with reduced dipole moment mu (0)*less than or equal to1, we find that the field (under the condition mu (0)*E*/T*much less than1) can shift the surface tension by few percent. We also find that the electric field actually reduces the thermodynamical surface tension but enhances the mechanical surface tension at the equimolar dividing surface. To detect these field effects on the surface tension we estimate the-field strength which can be as high as 10(8) V/m.