Theoretical Study of the Hydrophobic Effect Under Varying Environments

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26287099
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Koga Kenichiro 岡山大学, 異分野基礎科学研究所, 教授 (10315020)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 疎水効果 / 疎水性相互作用 / 気液界面 / 浸透第二ビリアル係数 / 水溶性高分子 / 共貧溶媒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

What we have learned from this project is summarized as follows. First, the mean-field approximation of liquids is capable to reproduce the solvation free energy, μ, and the hydrophobic interaction, w(r), and one can understand mechanisms of the temperature T, pressure p, salt concentration c dependences of μ and w(r). Second, in each mode of T, p, and c variations, there exist linear correlations between μ and w(rc) with rc the contact distance between hydrophobic solute molecules. Third, the mean-field approximation is extended to inhomogeneous fluid systems and temperature dependences of local μ(z) are now understood based on the mean-field approximation. Fourth, a model hydrophobic polymer, which we devised, undergoes upon heating a coil-to-globule conformation change in water near room temperature. The mechanism of the hydrophobic collapse is clarified.

Free Research Field

理論物理化学