Abstract

Here we describe the fitting and testing, via molecular dynamics simulation, of a bond-order potential for water with a unique force field parameterization. Most potentials for water, including some bond-order (reactive) potentials, are based on a traditional, many-body decomposition to describe water's structure with bond stretch, angle bend, electrostatics, and non-bonded terms. Our model uses an expanded version of the Bond Valence Model, the Valence Multipole Model, to describe all aspects of molecular structure using multibody, bond-order terms. Prior work successfully related these multibody, bond order terms to energy, provided the structures were close to equilibrium. The success of this equilibrium energy model demonstrated the plausibility of adapting its parameterization to a molecular dynamics force field. Further, we present extensive testing of ab initio methods to show that the ab initio data we obtained, using the CCSD(t)/cc-pwCVTZ level of theory, to augment the fitting set of our parameters is of the highest quality currently available for the OH system. While the force field is not yet finished, the model has demonstrated remarkable improvement since its initial testing. The test results and the insights gleaned from them have brought us significantly closer to adapting our unique parametrization to a fully functional molecular dynamics force field. Once the water potential is finished, it is our intent to develop and expand the Valence Multipole Model into a fully reactive alternative to CLAYFF, a non-reactive potential typically used to simulate fluid interfaces with clays and other minerals.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Geological Sciences

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2017-10-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd9540

Keywords

molecular dynamics simulation, bond-order potential, Bond Valence Model, Valence Multipole Model

Language

english

Included in

Geology Commons

Share

COinS