An Interatomic Potential Model for H₂O: Applications to Water and Ice Polymorphs

Abstract

A new interatomic potential model for H₂O which consists of 2-body central (O-H, O-O and H-H) and 3-body teams and does not contain artificial constraints on the motions of oxygen and hydrogen atoms is proposed. The interatomic potential function parameters were determined empirically so as to reproduce the fundamental and essential features of water and ice Ih using molecular dynamics (MD) methods.

We carried out the MD simulations of water, and find the Ice Ih, Ice II and Ice IX using this potential model, in structures and physical properties are in agreement with the experimental results except for the compressibilities of both water and ice Ih. We expect that, by refining this model, we can apply this model to problems involving the reaction of water molecules with other components.

Key Words:

• Molecular dynamics
• water
• ice polymorphs
• interatomic potential model
• 3-body interaction