Thermal Behavior and Crystallization Kinetics of Amorphous PdSi Alloys

Abstract

Thermal behavior and crystallization temperatures of amorphous PdSi alloys prepared by the roller-quenching method were studied by DTA and electrical resistivity change. The compositional dependence of the crystallization temperatures indicates that the stable amorphous phase of PdSi is Pd82Si18, whose crystallization stage is large and single. Isothermal annealing was performed on the most stable amorphous Pd82.3Si17.7 among the samples made in this experiment. The crystallization process of its alloy is explained by the equation of the autocatalyzed reaction. In the crystallization of amorphous PdSi, the exotherm has an important role, which accelerates the reaction. From the result of the isothermal annealing, the activation energy for crystallization is estimated to be 1.58 eV.