Revisiting electrolyte thermodynamic models: Insights from molecular simulations

Pitzer and electrolyte nonrandom two-liquid (eNRTL) models are the two most widely used electrolyte thermodynamic models. For aqueous sodium chloride (NaCl) solution, both models correlate the experimental mean ionic activity coefficient (γ_±) data satisfactorily up to salt saturation concentration, that is, ionic strength around 6 m. However, beyond 6 m, the model extrapolations deviate significantly and diverge from each other. We examine this divergence by calculating the mean ionic activity coefficient over a wide range of concentration based on molecular simulations and Kirkwood–Buff theory. The asymptotic behavior of the activity coefficient predicted by the eNRTL model is consistent with the molecular simulation results and supersaturation experimental data.