Supercooling and Superheating Effects in Phase Transitions

In the one-dimensional Stefan problem, the standard equilibriumcondition ; = 0 at the free boundary x = s(t) is here replacedby the kinetic law s'(t) = ß((s(t), t)), where ß:R R is continuous and increasing and ß(0) = 0. Thisrepresents supercooling and superheating effects. The standardStefan problem is then obtained in the limit as ß'(0) + A similar condition is considered for a radially symmetric system,taking also account of the surface tension effect. A kineticcondition is introduced also for phase transitions in binaryalloys, represented by means of the system of the Fourier'sand Fick's laws. In the case of several space dimensions, denoting by 0, 1]the concentration of the more energetic phase, the followinglaw is considered this is also extendedto binary systems. For all of the previous models of phase transitions, existenceresults are proved for the variational problems obtained bycoupling the free boundary condition with the energy conservationequation (and with the mass diffusion equation, for alloys).For heterogeneous systems, also a different model based on "non-equilibriumthermodynamics" is considered. This paper reviews the results of Visintin IMA J. appl. Math.(1985) 34, 225–245] and announces those of Visintin (1985,to appear in Q appl. Math, and in Ann. Mat. pura appl.).