Influence of Cu addition in the crystallization of the superionic glass (Ge25Se75)75Ag25

Abstract Amorphous samples of compositions (Ge 25 Se 75 ) 0.75 (Ag 100− x Cu x ) 0.25 with x =10, 20 and 30 at.% were obtained from the liquid state employing the melt-quenching technique. A decrease of the glass forming ability due to the addition of Cu is reported. The quenched samples and the crystallization products have been characterized by X-ray diffraction with CuKα radiation. The primary crystallization of the ternary phase Ag 8 GeSe 6 was observed. The solid solubility of Cu in this phase is supposed. The crystallization kinetics of the samples were studied under continuous heating calorimetric regime by means of differential scanning calorimetry. The glass and crystallization temperatures, the activation energy and the crystallization enthalpy are reported. The dependence of these properties on the concentration of Cu and the influence of Cu on the Ag 8 GeSe 6 crystallization kinetics is analyzed.