  In this paper, we derive the time-fractional Cahn-Hilliard equation from
continuum mixture theory with a modification of Fick's law of diffusion. This
model describes the process of phase separation with nonlocal memory effects.
We analyze the existence, uniqueness, and regularity of weak solutions of the
time-fractional Cahn-Hilliard equation. In this regard, we consider
degenerating mobility functions and free energies of Landau, Flory--Huggins and
double-obstacle type. We apply the Faedo-Galerkin method to the system, derive
energy estimates, and use compactness theorems to pass to the limit in the
discrete form. In order to compensate for the missing chain rule of fractional
derivatives, we prove a fractional chain inequality for semiconvex functions.
The work concludes with numerical simulations and a sensitivity analysis
showing the influence of the fractional power. Here, we consider a convolution
quadrature scheme for the time-fractional component, and use a mixed finite
element method for the space discretization.
