The existence of gas-liquid coexistence in dipolar fluids with no other contribution to attractive interaction than dipole-dipole interaction is a basic and open question in the theory of fluids. Here we compute the gas-liquid critical point in a system of dipolar soft spheres subject to an external electric field using molecular dynamics computer simulation. Tracking the critical point as the field strength is approaching zero we find the following limiting values: $T_c=0.063$ and ${\rho }_c=0.0033$ (dipole moment $\mu =1$). These values are confirmed by independent simulation at zero field strength.

• Received 26 July 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.82.062501