# Density-dependent van der Waals model under the GW170817 constraint

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a density-dependent van der Waals model that accurately describes high-density nuclear matter and neutron star properties, aligning with recent astrophysical and gravitational wave observations.

## Contribution

It develops a generalized van der Waals model with density-dependent attraction, successfully applying it to neutron star structure and merger event constraints.

## Key findings

- Neutron star mass range: 1.97-2.07 solar masses.
- Model predictions agree with GW170817 tidal deformability bounds.
- Mass-radius relations match recent X-ray data.

## Abstract

We propose a density-dependent function for the attractive interaction in the original van der Waals model to correctly describe the flow constraint at the high-density regime of the symmetric nuclear matter. After a generalization to asymmetric nuclear matter, it was also possible to study the stellar matter regime from this new model. The mass-radius relation for neutron stars under $\beta$-equilibrium is found to agree with recent X-ray observations. The neutron star masses supported against gravity, obtained from some parametrizations of the model, are in the range of $(1.97-2.07)M_{\odot}$, compatible with observational data from the PSR J0348+0432 pulsar. Furthermore, we verify the reliability of the model in predicting tidal deformabilities of the binary system related to the GW170817 neutron star merger event and find a full agreement with the new bounds obtained by the LIGO/Virgo collaboration.