We prove the existence of weak solutions to a viscoelastic phase separation problem in two space dimensions. The mathematical model consists of a Cahn–Hilliard-type equation for two-phase flows and the Peterlin–Navier–Stokes equations for viscoelastic fluids. We focus on the case of a polynomial-like potential and suitably bounded coefficient functions. Using the Lagrange–Galerkin finite element method complex behavior of solution for spinodal decomposition including transient polymeric network structures is demonstrated.

The stability of solutions to the Cahn–Hilliard equation with concentration dependent mobility with respect to perturbations is studied by means of relative energy estimates. As a by-product of this analysis, a weak-strong uniqueness principle is derived on the continuous level under realistic regularity assumptions on strong solutions. The stability estimates are further inherited almost verbatim by appropriate Galerkin approximations in space and time. This allows to derive sharp bounds for the discretization error in terms of certain projection errors and to establish order-optimal a priori error estimates for semi- and fully discrete approximation schemes. Numerical tests are presented for illustration of the theoretical results.

A Cahn–Hilliard–Allen–Cahn phase-field model coupled with a heat transfer equation, particularly with full non-diagonal mobility matrices, is studied. After reformulating the problem with respect to the inverse of temperature, we proposed and analysed a structure-preserving approximation for the semi-discretisation in space and then a fully discrete approximation using conforming finite elements and time-stepping methods. We prove structure-preserving property and discrete stability using relative entropy methods for the semi-discrete and fully discrete case. The theoretical results are illustrated by numerical experiments.

The aim of this paper is to prove global in time existence of weak solutions for a viscoelastic phase separation. We consider the case with singular potentials and degenerate mobilities. Our model couples the diffusive interface model with the Peterlin–Navier–Stokes equations for viscoelastic fluids. To obtain the global in time existence of weak solutions we consider appropriate approximations by solutions of the viscoelastic phase separation with a regular potential and build on the corresponding energy and entropy estimates.

We extend the live-cell motility Filament Based Lamellipodium Model (FBLM) to incorporate the forces exerted on the lamellipodium of the cells due to cell-cell collision and cadherin induced cell-cell adhesion. We take into account the nature of these forces via physical and biological constraints and modelling assumptions. We investigate the effect these new components have in the migration and morphology of the cells through particular experiments. We exhibit moreover the similarities between our simulated cells and HeLa cancer cells.