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We have used dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) to simulate surfactant monolayers on the interface between oil and water. With a simple surfactant model, we investigate how variations in size and structure of surfactants influence their ability to reduce the interfacial tension. In particular, we studied the effect of branching of the hydrophobic tail. We found that branched surfactants are more efficient at the interface than linear ones only if the head groups are sufficiently hydrophilic to prevent the molecules from staggering. By combining DPD with a Monte Carlo method, we have imposed constant surfactant chemical potential and (normal) pressure in separate simulations of bulk and interface. From this, we can determine the bulk concentration needed to obtain a given interfacial tension. We found that higher concentrations of branched surfactants are required to obtain the same reduction of the interfacial tension. We argue that the stronger excluded volume interactions which make branched surfactants more efficient at the interface compared to their linear isomers at the same time make them less inclined to adsorb at the interface.

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We show using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics that there is local equilibrium in the surface when a two-phase fluid of n-octane is exposed to a large temperature gradient (10 8 K/m). The surface is defined according to Gibbs, and the transport across the surface is described with non-equilibrium thermodynamics. The structure of the surface in the presence of the gradient is the same as if the interface was in equilibrium, as measured by the variation across the surface of the pressure component that is parallel to the surface. The surface is in local equilibrium by this criterion and because the equation of state for the surface was unaltered by a large heat flux. The surface has a small entropy and is thus more structured than a surface of argon particles. The excess thermal resistance coefficient and the coupling coefficient for transport of heat and mass were calculated and found to be smaller than corresponding coefficients from kinetic theory and for argon-like particles, probably because molecular vibrations contribute to heat transfer. Away from the triple point, the heat of transfer was more than 30% of the value of the enthalpy of evaporation, which means that the surface has a large impact on the heat flux across it. This will be of practical importance in non-equilibrium models for phase transitions. The results support the basic assumptions in non-equilibrium thermodynamics and enable us to give linear flux force relations of transport with surface tension dependent transfer coefficients.

Algorithms for simulating steady net evaporation and net condensation with molecular dynamics are presented. The evaporation and condensation coefficients are calculated, showing that they are not equal outside equilibrium. The distribution function at the interphase boundary is evaluated. There is a drift away from the interphase in the distribution function for the evaporated molecules and a drift velocity towards the interphase for the reflected molecules, both for net evaporation and for net condensation

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