Effect of Te additions on the glass transition and crystallization kinetics of (Sb15As30Se55)100−xTex amorphous solids

Differential scanning calorimetry results under non-isothermal conditions of chalcogenide (Sb15As30Se55)100−xTex (where 0 ≤ x ≤ 10 at.%) glasses are reported and discussed. The dependence of the characteristic temperatures “glass transition temperature (Tg), the crystallization onset temperature (Tc) and the crystallization temperature (Tp)” on the heating rate (β) utilized in the determination of the activation energy for the glass transition (Eg), the activation energy for crystallization (Ec), the glass thermal stability (ΔT = Tc − Tg) and the Avrami exponent (n). The composition dependence of the Tg, Eg, and Ec were discussed in terms of the chemical bond approach, the average heats of atomization and the cohesive energy (CE). The diffractogram of the transformed material shows the presence of some crystallites of AsSb, Sb4Te6, As2Se3 and Sb2Se3 in the residual amorphous matrix.