Theoretical evaluation of diffusion coefficients of (Al2O3)(n) clusters in different bath gases

Abstract

The binary diffusion coefficients of two low lying isomers of (Al2O3)(n), n = 1...4, clusters in different bath gases, that most frequently met in the nature and in the technical applications: H-2, N-2, O-2, CO, H2O as well as their self-diffusion coefficients have been calculated on the basis of kinetic theory and dipole reduced formalism. The parameters of interaction potential have been determined taking into account the contributions of a dispersion, dipole-dipole and dipole-induced dipole interactions between alumina clusters and bath molecules. The dipole moments, polarizabilities and collision diameters of clusters have been obtained by using quantum chemical calculations of cluster structure. The approximations for temperature dependencies of diffusion coefficients for two low-lying isomers of each considered alumina clusters are reported. It is demonstrated that an account for the contributions of the second for each type of clusters does not affect substantially the value of net diffusion coefficient. The diffusion coefficients of the isomers of small (Al2O3)(n) clusters can differ notably in the case when their dipole moments are distinct and they interact with strongly dipole molecules.