Molecular dynamics results for the radial distribution functions of highly asymmetric hard sphere mixtures

Molecular dynamics (MD) results for the radial distribution functions of mixtures of large and small hard spheres are reported for size ratios whose (large/small) values are 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 in the region where the concentration of the large spheres is very small. The MD contact values of these functions are compared with formulae due to Boublik, Mansoori, Carnahan, Starling, Leland, Grundke, and Henderson, Viduna and Smith, Henderson, Trokhymchuk, Woodcock, and Chan, as well as new formulae that are considered here. The new formulae give good agreement for the large-small contact values and reasonably good agreement for the large-large contact values. The Viduna-Smith formula is satisfactory for the small-small contact value and quite reasonable for the small-large contact value. Undoubtedly, further improvements are possible. These results give insight into what may be called the colloidal limit, where the size ratio is exceedingly large while the concentration of the large spheres is exceedingly small, and into the passage to this limit.