AMORPHIZATION OF SELENIUM INDUCED BY HIGH-ENERGY BALL-MILLING

Structural changes occurring in the crystalline element selenium upon high-energy ball milling has been studied. Milling experiments have be en performed at the ambient temperature and at a cryogenic temperature of -100 degrees C, respectively. The final milling products under bot h conditions were found to be a fully amorphous phase after several ho urs of mechanical milling. Calorimetric evidences indicate that during cryogenic-temperature milling amorphization procedure is faster than that at ambient temperature. Our experimental results suggest that amo rphization of the crystalline element selenium is driven by defects cr eated by frequent mechanical deformation.