Efficient Fully decoupled and second-order time-accurate scheme for the Navier–Stokes coupled Cahn–Hilliard Ohta–Kawaski Phase-Field model of Diblock copolymer melt

Abstract

In this work, we aim to develop a highly efficient numerical scheme for the flow-coupled phase-field model of diblock copolymer melt. Formally, the model is a very complicated nonlinear system that consists of the Navier–Stokes equations and the Cahn–Hilliard type equations with the Ohta–Kawaski potential. Through a combination of a novel decoupling technique and the projection method, we develop the first full decoupling, energy stable, and second-order time-accurate numerical scheme for this model. The decoupling technique is based on the design of an auxiliary ODE, which plays a vital role in obtaining the full decoupling structure while maintaining energy stability. The high efficiency of the scheme is not only reflected by its linear and decoupled structure but also because it only needs to solve a few elliptic equations at each time step. We strictly prove that the scheme satisfies the unconditional energy stability and give a detailed implementation process. Numerical experiments further verify the convergence rate, energy stability, and effectiveness of the developed algorithm.