In this paper we consider a boundary value problem for a quasilinear pendulum equation with non-linear boundary conditions that arises in a classical liquid crystals setup, the Freedericksz transition, which is the simplest opto-electronic switch, the result of competition between reorienting effects of an applied electric field and the anchoring to the bounding surfaces. A change of variables transforms the problem into the equation xττ = −f (x) for τ ∈ (−T , T ), with boundary conditions xτ = ±βT f (x) at τ = ∓T , for a convex non-linearity f . By analysing an associated inviscid Burgers’ equation, we prove uniqueness of monotone solutions in the original non-linear boundary value problem. This result has been for many years conjectured in the liquid crystals literature, e.g. in [E.G. Virga, Variational Theories for Liquid Crystals, Appl. Math. Math. Comput., vol. 8, Chapman & Hall, London, 1994] and in [I.W. Stewart, The Static and Dynamic Continuum Theory of Liquid Crystals: A Mathematical Introduction, Taylor & Francis, London, 2003].

The local fractional Burgers’ equation (LFBE) is investigated from the point of view of local fractional conservation laws envisaging a nonlinear local fractional transport equation with a linear non-differentiable diffusion term. The local fractional derivative transformations and the LFBE conversion to a linear local fractional diffusion equation are analyzed.

In presence of linear diffusion and non-positive dispersion, we prove well-posedness of the nonlinear conservation equation u_t+f(u)_x=\eps u_xx -\del((u_xx)^2)_x. Then, as the right-hand perturbations vanish, we prove convergence of the previous solutions to the entropy weak solution of the hyperbolic conservation law u_t+f(u)_x=0.

Well-posedness of the initial value problem u_t+f(u)_x=\eps u_xx -\del((u_xx)^2)_x; u(x,0)=u_0(x). Then, as \eps, \del tend to 0, we prove convergence of the previous solutions to the entropy weak solution of the initial value problem u_t+f(u)_x=0; u(x,0)=u_0(x).

We consider a conservation law perturbed by a linear diffusion and a general form of non-positive dispersion. We prove the convergence of the corresponding solution to the entropy weak solution of the hyperbolic conservation law.

We consider a class of nonlinear dissipative-dispersive perturbations of the scalar conservation law @tu + div f (u) = 01 and we study the convergence of the approximated solutions to its entropy solution. In particular, we obtain conditions under which the balance between dissipation and dispersion gives rise to the convergence (by DiPerna's measure-valued solution technique).