Physical aging of the 62.5GeS2-12.5Sb2S3-25CsCl chalcogenide glass: Assessing the mechanisms of equilibration and crystallization

International audienceThe goal of this work is to provide an answer to the important scientific question: will a glass-forming liquid reach its equilibrium state or not before to crystallize during physical aging process, i.e. when it is maintained below its glass transition temperature? For this goal the physical aging process in a 62.5GeS2-12.5Sb2S3-25CsCl glass has been investigated for a long period (5 months) at 30°C below the glass transition temperature Tg. A crystallization was observed during this process, and was characterized through X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Temperature Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MT-DSC) analyses. By evaluating the enthalpy loss related to the physical aging and by comparing this experimental quantity to the theoretical one, we have proved that this glass has reached its thermodynamic equilibrium state before crystallizing. Thus, this work evidences experimentally the ability for a glass former to crystallize under Tg after reaching its equilibrium state