Kinetics study and thermal analysis of novel phase-change materials with scandium as chemical modifier

Kinetic studies and thermal stability become a crucial characteristic for switching in high-temperature regions in nanoscale phase-change materials, which are used as applications for non-volatile next-generation storage class memory. Differential scanning calorimetry has been used for theoretical and experimental studies of the glass transition kinetics, crystallization kinetics and thermal stability of newly synthesized Te(1-x) (GeSe0.5) Sc-x (x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15) glasses. Sc has been used as a chemical modifier. The impact of rising Sc amount has been explained by relating the structural relaxation kinematics during glass transition process and devitrification during crystallization process in chalcogenide glasses and their various physicochemical properties. There is observable increase in crystallization rate by Sc incorporation. Te(1-x) (GeSe0.5) Sc-x material fragility index reveals that the composition is consistent with a potent glass-forming liquid. Heterogeneous nucleation occurs for the composition under study and is then followed by a two- or three-dimensional crystal development phenomena by means of the mean values of kinetic exponent factors. By adding Sc, it has been observed that the average values of the heat of atomization and mean bond energy decrease as the cohesive energy of the samples decreases. Inverse relation has been noticed between thermal stability parameter and enthalpy released while transformation of glass and crystalline phases.

Automated summary

This study investigated the glass transition kinetics, crystallization kinetics, and thermal stability of newly synthesized Te(1-x)(GeSe0.5)Sc-x(x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15) glasses using differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that the incorporation of Sc enhances the crystallization rate. Additionally, the average heat of atomization and mean bond energy of the samples decrease with increasing Sc content.