Crystallization kinetics of electrodeposited amorphous Cr84.8C15.2 (CrC0.18) films studied by differential scanning calorimetry

Crystallization kinetics of electrodeposited amorphous Cr84.8C15.2 (CrC0.18 ) films based on differential scanning calorimetry measurements have been i nvestigated. Two distinct exothermic peaks are observed at 655 and 816 K, w hich are due to the crystallization of b.c.c. alpha -Cr and h.c.p. Cr7C3, r espectively, as identified by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron m icroscopy. The crystallization of dendritic a-Cr is a one-dimensional diffu sion controlled growth with a decreasing nucleation rate. The growth direct ion of dendritic cu-Cr is along the cube axes. The effective activation ene rgy for the crystallization of a-Cr analyzed in terms of Avrami-Johnson-Meh l method is 188 kJ/mol, which is close to that obtained by Kissinger's meth od of 197.2 kJ/mol. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.