Density-functional theory for attraction between like-charged plates

Abstract

We study the interactions between two negatively charged macroscopic surfaces confining positive counterions. A density-functional approach is introduced which, besides the usual mean-field interactions, takes into account the correlations in the positions of counterions. The excess free energy is derived in the framework of the Debye-H{ü}ckel theory of the one-component plasma, with the homogeneous density replaced by a weighted density. The minimization of the total free energy yields the density profile of the microions. The pressure is calculated and compared with the simulations and the results derived from integral equations theories. We find that the interaction between the two plates becomes attractive when their separation distance is sufficiently small and the surface charge density is larger than a threshold value.