A MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS STUDY OF IONIC HYDRATION NEAR A PLATINUM SURFACE

Two Molecular Dynamics simulations have been performed where a Pt(100) surface is covered with three layers of water molecules and a lithium or an iodide ion is placed additionally in the boundary layer. The flexible BJH model of water is employed in the simulations and the ion-water, platinum-water and platinum-ion potentials are derived from molecular orbital calculations. The simulations extended over 7.5 ps at an average temperature of 298 K. The effect of the Pt(100) surface on the ionic hydration is demonstrated by the comparison of the radial distribution functions, the orientation of the water molecules and their geometrical arrangement in the first hydration shells of the ions in the boundary layer with those in a 2.2 molal bulk LiI solution.