On a thermodynamically consistent diffuse interface model for two-phase incompressible flows with non-matched densities: Dynamics of moving contact lines, surface diffusion, and mass transfer

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Authors: Ciprian G. Gal, Maoyin Lv, Hao Wu
Cited by: 1
References: 76

Abstract

We examine a thermodynamically consistent diffuse interface model for two-phase incompressible viscous flows in a smooth bounded domain Ω ⊂ R d ( d ∈ { 2 , 3 } ). This model characterizes the evolution of free interfaces in contact with the solid boundary, specifically addressing the phenomenon of moving contact lines. The associated evolution system comprises a nonhomogeneous Navier–Stokes equation for the (volume) averaged fluid velocity v , nonlinearly coupled with a convective Cahn–Hilliard equation governing the order parameter φ . Notably, for the boundary dynamics, the current model incorporates surface diffusion, a variable contact angle between the diffuse interface and the solid boundary, as well as mass transfer between bulk and surface. This material transfer adheres to a mass conservation law encompassing both bulk and surface contributions. In the general scenario of non-matched densities, we establish the existence of global weak solutions with finite energy in both two and three dimensions.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Navier-Stokes equation solutions Solidification and crystal growth phenomena Fluid Dynamics and Thin Films

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Differential Equations
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
465
Pages
114203–114203
Publication date
12 February 2026
Language
EN