Monte Carlo Calculations of the Properties of Solid Nitromethane
Abstract
Pairwise additive potential energy functions for H-O, H-H, and O-O intermolecular interactions are presented; methods by which these functions were developed are discussed, and preliminary Monte Carlo calculations of the crystal lattice parameters using these functions are presented. The results indicate that these potential energy functions correctly reproduce the lattice parameters measured by neutron diffraction at 4.2 K, ambient pressure, and at pressures below 1.0 GPa, room temperature. It is our intention in this and future work to obtain sufficient information concerning the intermolecular interactions between molecules of nitromethane (CH3NO2) in order to produce, via computer simulation, a reliable equation of state and other related properties in the condensed phase. For this purpose, substantial experimental investigations have been performed in the past on several properties of the crystal. For the present study, the most important of these are the determination of the crystal structure at ambient pressure, from 4.2 K to 228 K (Trevino, Prince, and Hubbard 1980) and neutron spectroscopic determination of the rotational properties of the methyl group (Trevino and Rymes 1980; Alefeld et al. 1982; Cavagnat et al. 1985).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA241553
Entities
People
- Betsy M. Rice
- Samuel F. Trevino
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory