Critical analysis of endo-thermal effect in the glass transition process in chalcogenide glasses

Abstract

Free volume model is widely used as a tool for understanding the nature of glass transition phenomenon and the related consequences. Recently, an analytical derivation of Kissinger's equation has been proposed in literature using free volume model. In this derivation, the glass transition activation energy has been assumed constant throughout the whole glass transition temperature range. The present paper investigates the applicability of free volume model for derivation of Kissinger's relation by checking the constancy of the glass transition activation energy (E g) throughout the glass transition temperature range. Performing series of experiments, we have legalized the possibility for usage of the Kissinger relation for determination of the glass transition activation energy if the peak value of the endo-thermal effect is taken as temperature of glass transition. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.