The Effect of CsI Addition on Mechanical Properties of (Ga 2 Se 3 –Ge 2 Se 3 )‐Based Chalcogenide Glass‐Ceramics

ABSTRACT Chalcogenide glass‐ceramics are promising transparent materials for harsh environments, thermal imaging, and active optical applications. To determine the effect of CsI additives on the mechanical properties of (50 − 0.5 x )Ga 2 Se 3 − (50 − 0.5 x )Ge 2 Se 3 − x CsI ( x = 0–26.70 mol.%) glass‐ceramics, x‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x‐ray microanalysis (EDSMA), and Vickers methods were used. It is shown that increasing the CsI content in the glass‐ceramics leads to a decrease in their microhardness, crack resistance, and abrasion resistance. The addition of CsI in quantities exceeding 14 mol.% leads to the formation of glassy samples with a crystalline phase content of less than 10 vol.%. The conducted studies indicate the presence of a glass‐forming region in this system. The obtained characteristics of the glass‐ceramics were compared with the properties of crystalline materials used in industry. Glass‐ceramics with low CsI content outperform commercial zinc selenide samples in microhardness and fracture toughness.