Chalcogenide glasses from the GeSe2-PbSe-PbTe system were synthesized. Microhardness, density and the temperatures of phase transitions (the glass transition, crystallization and melting) were measured. Some thermomechanical characteristics, such as volume and formation energy of microvoids in the glassy network, the module of elasticity, as well as the compactness and the Hruby's criteria were calculated. The correlation between the composition and properties of the GeSe2-PbSe-PbTe glasses was established and comprehensively discussed. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.