Glass formation in the As–Te–Sb system

Abstract

Chalcogenide glasses from the As–Te–Sb system were synthesized for the first time. The glass-forming region was determined by the help of visual, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopic analyses. Glasses are obtained mainly in the Te-rich region of the Gibbs diagram. The basic physicochemical parameters such as density ( d), microhardness (HV) and temperatures of phase transformations (the glass transition T g, crystallization T cr and melting T m) were measured. Compactness and some thermomechanical characteristics such as volume ( V h) and formation energy ( E h) of micro-voids in the glassy network as well as the module of elasticity were calculated. The glass-forming ability was evaluated according to Hruby's criteria ( K G). The correlation between composition and properties of the As–Te–Sb glasses was established and comprehensively discussed.