An Analysis of the Thermodynamics of Hydrophobic Solvation Based on Scaled Particle Theory
Abstract
A comprehensive, semi-quantitative model for the thermodynamics of hydrophobic solvation is presented. The model is based on a very simple premise suggested by the scaled particle theory and treats both solute and solvent molecules as hard spheres. A connection between the peculiarly large heat-capacity change for hydrophobic solvation and the large temperature dependence of the thermal expansivity of water is found. Analysis reveals a possible physical origin for the converging behavior of solvation entropies for a series of homologous hydrophobic compounds. The model suggests that the low solubility and the large heat-capacity change of hydrophobic solvation stem from two distinct aspects of water molecules: the static geometry of the molecule and the dynamic hydrogen bonding network, respectively.
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/0104085,
title = {An Analysis of the Thermodynamics of Hydrophobic Solvation Based on Scaled Particle Theory},
author = {Hong Qian},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0104085},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
13 pages