Particle size dependent isothermal crystallization kinetics in a Se–Te glassy system

Abstract

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the crystallization behaviour in a selenium–tellurium (Se–Te) glassy system under isothermal conditions. The particle-size-dependent isothermal crystallization kinetics were described in terms of the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami (JMA) nucleation-growth model. The complexity of the crystallization process was found to be represented by overlapping competing surface and bulk nucleation-growth mechanisms. Based on the deconvolution in terms of the JMA model, the particular crystal growth processes were identified, and the interpretation of their physical origins was performed. Presence of the A and B types of spherulitic crystallites was confirmed; the temperature range of the transition in-between these two spherulitic forms was determined to be similar as for pure selenium. Increasing tellurium content was found to cause an increase of the apparent activation energy of the overall crystallization process as well as a gradual increase of the dominance of the CNT (classical nucleation theory)-based volume-located crystal growth over the surface crystallization, which originates from mechanically induced heterogeneities.