A study on glass transition and crystallization kinetics in Sb0.12As0.36Se0.52 glassy alloy by using non-isothermal techniques

Crystallization kinetics of the glassy alloy Sb0.12As0.36Se0.52 was studied by made using a method in which the kinetic parameters are deduced bearing in mind the dependence of the reaction rate constant on time, through temp erature. The method was applied to the experimental data obtained by differ ential scanning calorimetry, using continuous-heating techniques. In additi on, two approaches are used to analyze the dependence of glass transition t emperature, T-g, on the heating rate, beta. One is empirical Linear relatio nship between T-g and beta. The other approach is the use of straight line ln(T-g(2)/beta) vs. 1/T-g for evaluation of the activation energy for glass transition. The kinetic parameters determined have made it possible to fin d a bulk nucleation mechanism with decreasing nucleation rate and diffusion controlled growth for the crystallization process. The phases at which the alloy crystallizes after the thermal process have been identified by X-ray diffraction. The diffractogram of the transformed material suggests the pr esence of microcrystallites of Sb2Se3 and AsSe, in the residual amorphous m atrix. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.