Electrostatic interactions mediated by polarizable counterions: weak and strong coupling limits

Vincent Démery; David S. Dean; Rudolf Podgornik

doi:10.1063/1.4763986

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arXiv · 1208.6209

Electrostatic interactions mediated by polarizable counterions: weak and strong coupling limits

Vincent Démery·David S. Dean·Rudolf Podgornik

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Abstract

We investigate the statistical mechanics of an inhomogeneous Coulomb fluid composed of charged particles with static polarizability. We derive the weak- and the strong-coupling approximations and evaluate the partition function in a planar dielectric slab geometry with charged boundaries. We investigate the density profiles and the disjoining pressure for both approximations. Comparison to the case of non-polarizable counterions shows that polarizability brings important differences in the counterion density distribution as well as the counterion mediated electrostatic interactions between charged dielectric interfaces.

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Vincent Démery, David S. Dean, Rudolf Podgornik. 2012-08-30. Electrostatic interactions mediated by polarizable counterions: weak and strong coupling limits. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4763986

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