Multi-component conserved Allen–Cahn equations

Abstract

We consider a multi-component version of the conserved Allen–Cahn equation proposed by J. Rubinstein and P. Sternberg in 1992 as an alternative model for phase separation. In our case, the free energy is characterized by a mixing entropy density which belongs to a large class of physically relevant entropies like, for example, the Boltzmann–Gibbs entropy. We establish the well-posedness of the Cauchy–Neumann problem with respect to a natural notion of (finite) energy solution which is more regular under appropriate assumptions and is strictly separated from pure phases if the initial datum is. We then prove that the energy solution becomes more regular and strictly separated instantaneously. Also, we show that any finite energy solution converges to a unique equilibrium. The validity of a dissipative inequality (identity for strong solutions) allows us to analyze the problem within the theory of infinite-dimensional dissipative dynamical systems. On account of the obtained results, we can associate to our problem a dissipative dynamical system and we can prove that it has a global attractor as well as an exponential attractor.