Uncovering the metastable γ-Ag2WO4 phase: a joint experimental and theoretical study

The synthesis of metastable solid phases is a pivotal starting point for innovative materials research. Here, we report the synthesis by means of a precipitation method of the metastable cubic γ-Ag2WO4 phase under ambient conditions. Different experimental techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) with Rietveld refinement, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), micro-Raman/ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence spectroscopies, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were employed. To complement the experimental data, the geometry, morphology, vibrational and electronic structure of γ-Ag2WO4 were characterized and evaluated using first-princip…