Kinetic study of non-isothermal crystallization of BixSe100-x chalcogenide glasses

Results of differential thermal analysis (DTA) under non-isothermal conditions on four glasses of BixSe100-x (x = 5, 10, 15 and 25 at%) are reported and discussed. The glass transition temperatures (T-g), the onset crystallization temperatures (T-c) and the peak temperatures of crystallization (T-p) were found to be dependent on the compositions and the heating rates. From the dependence on the heating rates of (T-g) and (T-p), the activation energy for glass transition, E-c, and the activation energy for crystallization, E-c, are calculated and their composition dependence is discussed. The crystalline phases resulting from DTA and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been identified using X-ray diffraction. According to the Avrami exponent (n), the results show a one-dimensional growth for the composition Bi5Se95 and two-dimensional growth for the compositions Bi10Se90, Bi15Se85 and Bi25Se75. The kinetic parameters determined have made it possible to discuss the glass-forming ability. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.