Stokes-Einstein relations for a square-well fluid

A Stokes-Einstein relation, relating the shear viscosity eta to the self-diffusion coefficient D, is constructed for a classical fluid subject to an effective two-body intermolecular force, derived from a square-well potential, undergoing dynamics as described by a Smoluchowski equation for pair diffusion. The time correlation functions for eta and 1/D are separated into contributions from delta function, hard-sphere forces, and from delta function, square-well soft forces. Furthermore, D is separated into its two- and three-body time correlation functions, and eta into its two- to four-body terms. D shows activated diffusion, as in Arrhenius behavior, and on the level of two-body dynamics, the D eta product adheres to the Stokes-Einstein relation, subject to a small correction for potential softness. Three-body time correlation functions increase D, whereas three- and four-body correlation functions in eta are partially offsetting. The deviation of D eta product from the Stokes-Einstein law arises from the three-body time correlations functions in D. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.