Crystallization kinetics of electrodeposited amorphous Cr_84.8C_15.2 (CrC_0.18) films studied by differential scanning calorimetry

Crystallization kinetics of electrodeposited amorphous Cr_84.8C_15.2 (CrC_0.18) films based on differential scanning calorimetry measurements have been investigated. Two distinct exothermic peaks are observed at 655 and 816 K, which are due to the crystallization of b.c.c. α-Cr and h.c.p. Cr₇C₃, respectively, as identified by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The crystallization of dendritic α-Cr is a one-dimensional diffusion controlled growth with a decreasing nucleation rate. The growth direction of dendritic α-Cr is along the cube axes. The effective activation energy for the crystallization of α-Cr analyzed in terms of Avrami-Johnson-Mehl method is 188 kJ/mol, which is close to that obtained by Kissinger's method of 197.2 kJ/mol.