Weighted-density approximation for general nonuniform fluid mixtures

In order to construct a general density-functional theory for nonuniform fl uid mixtures, we propose an extension to multicomponent systems of the weig hted-density approximation of Curtin and Ashcroft [Phys. Rev. A 32, 2909 (1 985)]. This extension corrects a deficiency in a similar extension proposed earlier by Denton and Ashcroft [Phys. Rev. A 42, 7312 (1990)], in that tha t functional cannot be applied to the multicomponent nonuniform fluid syste ms with spatially varying composition, such as solid-fluid interfaces. As a test of the accuracy of our functional, we apply it to the calculation of the freezing phase diagram of a binary hard-sphere fluid, and compare the r esults to simulation and the Denton-Ashcroft extension. [S1063-651X(99)0350 9-6].