POLYNOMIAL PATH FOR THE CALCULATION OF LIQUID-STATE FREE-ENERGIES FROM COMPUTER-SIMULATIONS TESTED ON LIQUID WATER

The polynomial path is introduced for the calculation of liquid state free energies. The well-characterized SPC, TIP4P, and MCY water models were used to demonstrate its efficiency, as well as its range of applicability in conjunction with Monte Carlo computer simulations using thermodynamic integration based on Gaussian quadratures. The technique employed is compared with the slow-growth method (another variant of thermodynamic integration), the perturbation method, and the use of the grand-canonical ensemble.