Theory of Fluids, Phase Transitions, and Interfaces

康奈尔大学的Benjamin Widom因研究液体和界面的统计力学理论而获得了理论与计算化学项目的奖项。研究项目的主要方面是检查线张力，这是一个类似于表面张力的量，但适用于一维系统。在之前由美国国家科学基金会支持的工作中，Widom确定了表面张力的吉布斯吸附方程的类比不适用于一维情况，这是一个令人惊讶的结果。在目前的项目中，Widom和他的学生正在进行几次模拟和验证测试，以确定先前的理论预测是否有效。研究结果有望对我们对纳米线和各种生物系统，特别是膜和病毒的理解产生更广泛的影响。另外还有两个项目正在进行中：一个是研究相互接触的胚胎组织碎片之间的界面张力，另一个是研究疏水热容。

Benjamin Widom of Cornell University is supported by an award from the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry program for research on the statistical mechanical theory of liquids and interfaces. The main aspect of the research project is the examination of the line tension, a quantity that is analogous to the surface tension, but which applies to a one-dimensional system. In work previously supported by NSF, Widom determined that the analog of the Gibbs adsorption equation for the surface tension does not apply in the one-dimensional case, a surprising result. In the current project, Widom and his students are carrying out several simulation and verification tests to determine if the prior theoretical predictions are valid. The results are expected to have a broader impact on our understanding of nano-wires and a variety of biological systems, particularly membranes and viruses. Two additional projects are also being carried out: one involves the interfacial tension between fragments of embryonic tissue which are in contact with one another while the other is a study of the hydrophobic heat capacity.