Charged Particles in Polarizable Fluids

A molecular-dynamics calculation of the work of introducing a charge in a polarizable fluid leads to about twice the value predicted by the Born continuum model. The screened Coulomb field reaches its macroscopic limit about three molecular diameters from the charge but is larger than the continuum dielectric prediction because of higher-order polarizability corrections. The diffusion coefficient leads to a Stokes radius that corresponds roughly to a singly ionized particle and its solvation shell diffusing as a unit.