Crystallization kinetics of Ti20Zr20Cu60 metallic glass by isoconversional methods using modulated differential scanning calorimetry

The study of crystallization kinetics of amorphous alloys has been a matter of great interest for material researchers for past few decades, since it provides information about the kinetic parameters i.e., activation energy of crystallization and the frequency factor. These kinetic parameters can be calculated by model-free isoconversional methods. Isoconversional methods allow calculating the activation energy as a function of degree of conversion, alpha. Hence, these methods provide accurate results for multistep processes like crystallization. Model-free methods are categorized as linear and non-linear isoconversional methods. Linear methods are further classified as linear differential and linear integral isoconversional methods. In present work, we have used these isoconversional methods to study the effect of non-linear heating rate, employed by modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC), on the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of Ti20Zr20Cu60 metallic glass. For Ti20Zr20Cu60, MDSC curves clearly indicate a two-step crystallization process. Both crystallization peaks were studied based on the modified expressions for isoconversional methods by non-linear heating rate. The term corresponding to non-linearity comes out to be (A (T) omega/2 beta)(2). The effect of non-linear heating rate on measurement of kinetic parameters by isoconversional methods is studied. The activation energy of crystallization is calculated for Ti20Zr20Cu60 metallic glass for various degrees of conversion by linear integral isoconversional methods i.e., Ozawa-Flynn-Wall, Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose, and also with Friedman method which is a linear differential isoconversional method.