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 25at%) are reported and discussed. The glass transition temperatures (Tg), the onset crystallization temperatures (Tc) and the peak temperatures of crystallization (Tp) were found to be dependent on the compositions and the heating rates. From the dependence on the heating rates of (Tg) and (Tp), the activation energy for glass transition, Eg, and the activation energy for crystallization, Ec, 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.