Cahn-Hilliard equations with singular potential, reaction term and pure phase initial datum

Abstract: We consider local and nonlocal Cahn-Hilliard equations with constant mobility and singular potentials including, e.g., the Flory-Huggins potential, subject to no-flux (or periodic) boundary conditions. The main goal is to show that the presence of a suitable class of reaction terms allows to establish the existence of a weak solution to the corresponding initial and boundary value problem even though the initial condition is a pure state. In other words, the separation process takes place even in presence of a pure phase, provided that it is triggered by a convenient reaction term. This fact was already observed by the authors in a previous contribution devoted to a specific biological model. In this context, we generalize the previously-mentioned concept by examining the essential assumptions required for the reaction term to apply the new strategy. Also, we explore the scenario involving the nonlocal Cahn-Hilliard equation and provide illustrative examples that contextualize within our abstract framework.