Phase behaviour and structure of a superionic liquid in nonpolarized nanoconfinement
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Dudka, M
Kondrat, S
Kornyshev, A
Oshanin, G
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The ion-ion interactions become exponentially screened for ions confined in ultranarrow metallic pores. To study the phase behaviour of an assembly of such ions, called a superionic liquid, we develop a statistical theory formulated on bipartite lattices, which allows an analytical solution within the Bethe-lattice approach. Our solution predicts the existence of ordered and disordered phases in which ions form a crystal-like structure and a homogeneous mixture, respectively. The transition between these two phases can potentially be first or second order, depending on the ion diameter, degree of confinement and pore ionophobicity. We supplement our analytical results by three-dimensional off-lattice Monte Carlo simulations of an ionic liquid in slit nanopores. The simulations predict formation of ionic clusters and ordered snake-like patterns, leading to characteristic close-standing peaks in the cation-cation and anion-anion radial distribution functions.
Date Issued
2016-09-14
Date Acceptance
2016-06-06
Citation
Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 2016, 28 (46)
ISSN
0953-8984
Publisher
IOP Publishing Ltd
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
Volume
28
Issue
46
Copyright Statement
© 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher authenticated version is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/28/46/464007.
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
EP/H004319/1
Subjects
cond-mat.soft
Fluids & Plasmas
0204 Condensed Matter Physics
0912 Materials Engineering
1007 Nanotechnology
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
464007