Abstract
The particle size effects on the kinetic parameters of two overlapping crystallization peaks of Se85Te10Sb5 chalcogenide glass were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under experimental and predicted isothermal conditions. The crystallization kinetics parameters of the two peaks were separated based on the application of a multi-peak Gaussian function using the advanced thermokinetics software package (AKTS). The nonisothermal methods of Friedman, Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose and the minimization, in addition to the predicted isothermal method, were used to investigate the variation of the effective activation energy with the extent of crystallization and, hence, with temperature. The local Avrami exponent as a function of the crystalline volume fraction was obtained at a constant heating rate or temperature for nonisothermal and isothermal processes. Its value was found to vary with particle size. The crystallization process of the two peaks was found to follow the Avrami-Erofeev reaction model.