Glass formation in the As–Te–Sb system

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 Tg, crystallization Tcr and melting Tm) were measured. Compactness and some thermomechanical characteristics such as volume (Vh) and formation energy (Eh) of micro-voids in the glassy network as well as the module of elasticity were calculated. The glass-forming ability was evaluated according to Hrubyʹs criteria (KG). The correlation between composition and properties of the As–Te–Sb glasses was established and comprehensively discussed.