Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 26, No. 3, 1981. p. 513-525.
It is shown that the variational principle for the grand potential of a nonuniform fluid as a functional of the singlet density yields the potential distribution theory for the equilibrium density. We derive the explicit form that the functional takes for a system of hard rods, and propose an approximate one for hard spheres. Attractive interactions are also considered in mean-field approximation. In all cases the pair direct correlation function of the nonuniform system is obtained and the density gradient expansion of the free energy is investigated.