The Cahn-Hilliard equation: phase separation and interfaces

Statistical Physics and Complexity Group meeting

The Cahn-Hilliard equation: phase separation and interfaces

  • Event time: 11:30am
  • Event date: 20th May 2015
  • Speaker: Giulio De Magistris (Formerly School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
  • Location: Room 2511,

Event details

I will briefly introduce the Cahn-Hilliard equation and derive some well known results for the properties of the interface between two coexisting phases. I will then discuss some coarsening process in the phase separation. Finally, if there is any time left, I will try to discuss the case of a biphasic fluid, and its different coarsening scaling regimes.

If time and media supports allow, there will be some videos of some numerical simulations showing some coarsening process/some interfaces.

[1] A. J. Bray, "Theory of phase-ordering kinetics", Adv. Phys. 43, 357 (1994)
[2] D. Jacqmin, "Calculation of Two-Phase Navier-Stokes Flows Using Phase-Field Modeling", Journal of Computational Physics 155:96 (1999)
[3] J. S. Rowlinson, B. Widom, "Molecular Theory of Capillarity", Dover Ed. edition (2003)