A thermodynamically consistent model of magneto-elastic materials under diffusion at large strains and its analysis

A theory of elastic magnets is formulated under possible diffusion and heat flow governed by Fick's and Fourier's laws in the deformed (Eulerian) configuration, respectively. The concepts of nonlocal nonsimple materials and viscous Cahn–Hilliard equations are used. The formulation of the problem uses Lagrangian (reference) configuration while the transport processes are pulled back. Except the static problem, the demagnetizing energy is ignored and only local non-self-penetration is considered. The analysis as far as existence of weak solutions of the (thermo) dynamical problem is performed by a careful regularization and approximation by a Galerkin method, suggesting also a numerical strategy. Either ignoring or combining particular aspects, the model has numerous applications as ferro-to-paramagnetic transformation in elastic ferromagnets, diffusion of solvents in polymers possibly accompanied by magnetic effects (magnetic gels), or metal-hydride phase transformation in some intermetallics under diffusion of hydrogen accompanied possibly by magnetic effects (and in particular ferro-to-antiferromagnetic phase transformation), all in the full thermodynamical context under large strains.