Model for interactions among charges in a structureless fluid, thermal ionization balance, and phase transition

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Abstract
A model is considered for the interaction among charges resulting from thermal ionization balance in a structureless fluid. In the limit of nondegenerate electrons and negligible excluded volume the Debye-Hückel result is obtained, while the Fermi-Thomas result arises for degenerate electrons and substantial excluded volume. The free energy of the system implies a vapor-liquid phase transition; an insulator-metal transition is also obtained. Generalizations of the model, which include electron–neutral-atom interactions and self-consistent clustering effects, should be suitable for treating materials such as cesium, rubidium, and mercury and will be presented in future work. Numerical results are discussed.