Water Revisited

Speaker:

Soohaeng Yoo Willow
Senior Research Associate
Department of Chemistry, Illinois Tech

Description:

Both water molecular structure and water model are essential to
explain anomalous physical and thermodynamic properties of water. Both
ab initio and experimental studies have suggested the water molecular
structure and water model as well. When heavy water (D2O) is compared
to with light water (H2O), the former has higher melting temperature
and larger molar volume. These phenomena are known as the nuclear
quantum effect. Until now, none of suggested water molecular
structures and water models could generate these phenomena. In this
talk, to unveil an enigma why heavy water has different physical and
thermodynamic properties compared to light water, I will provide water
models with these characteristics. Lastly, I will discuss the nuclear
quantum effect on the water molecular structure and volume isotope
effect (the molar volume of heavy water is larger than light water) as
well.