The Cahn-Hilliard equation with logarithmic potentials (Q653924)

This paper reviews certain issues concerning the Cahn-Hilliard equation \[ u_{t}+ \alpha k \Delta^{2}u-k \Delta f(u)=0, \] with a logarithmic potential of the form \[ f(u)=-\theta_{c} u + \frac{\theta}{2} \ln\frac{1+u}{1-u}, \] where \(\theta\) and \(\theta_{c}\) represent the temperature and the critical temperature respectively. The Cahn-Hilliard system is considered in an appropriate domain \(\Omega \subset {\mathbb R}^{n}\) in dimension \(n=1,2,3\) with Neumann or dynamic boundary conditions. For Neumann boundary conditions, issues related to well-posedness adopting an approximation argument through a viscous Cahn-Hilliard equation (rather than regularization of the singular potential \(f(u)\)) of the form \[ \epsilon u^{\epsilon}_{t} + (-\Delta)^{-1}u^{\epsilon}_{t}-\Delta u^{\epsilon} +f(u^{\epsilon}) -<f(u^{\epsilon})=0, \,\,\, \epsilon >0, \] where \(< \cdot >\) is the averaging operator over the volume \(\Omega\). Clearly if \(\epsilon =0\) the resulting equation is formally equivalent to the Cahn-Hilliard equation and the authors sketch the construction of the solution of the Cahn-Hilliard equation by appropriately taking the limit \(\epsilon \to 0\) in the viscous approximation. Then, they review results concerning the long time behaviour of the Cahn-Hilliard equation, and in particular the existence of finite dimensional attractors, and comment upon the construction of a family of exponential attractors for the viscous approximation. Concerning dynamic boundary conditions, the authors sketch some arguments on the non-existence of classical solutions, and then discuss the convergence of approximation schemes to weak solutions. For dynamic boundary conditions, an approximation scheme based on a regular approximation of the singular potential is preferred and the convergence of variational solution of the approximate problem to the original problem is sketched, along with comments on the existence of strong solutions. Finally, the issue of existence of finite dimensional attractors is addressed. The paper offers a very nice and well written review on the Cahn-Hilliard equation with singular potentials of the logarithmic type, presenting the main results in the area, without technical proofs, but with insightful comments regarding the proofs, and with a detailed reference list for those interested in the details. As such, it is going to be a very useful reference for newcomers and experts in this field alike.