Preparation of alpha-AgI stabilised composites from AgI-Ag2O-MxOy (MxOy=B2O3, MoO3) melts and glasses

The high temperature superionic phase of alpha -AgI was successfully, stabi lised at room temperature in a glass matrix by rapid quenching of melts and by, heating of glasses in the systems AgI-Ag2O-B2O3 and AgI-Ag2O-MoO3. Com posites in which the single phase of alpha -AgI was stabilised at room temp erature ii,ere obtained by the rapid quenching of the 82 AgI.18(0.75Ag(2)O. 0.0.25B(2)O(3)) melt and by the heat treatment and consecutive cooling of t he 74AgI.26(0.33Ag(2)O.0.67MoO(3)) glass. Fine particles of alpha -AgI with 10-30 nm in diameter it,ere dispersed in the glass matrices in both compos ites prepared by the rapid quenching of melts and by the heating and consec utive cooling of glasses. The stabilised alpha -AgI crystals had a large la ttice strain when the composites were prepared by rapid quenching of melts on the basis of Hall's analysis for the x-ray diffraction data. On the othe r hand the alpha -AgI crystals stabilised by, the heating and cooling of 74 AgI.26 (0.33Ag(2)O.0.67MoO(3)) glass had no lattice strain. Such a differen ce is probably attributable to the fact that the nuclei of beta -AgI are pr esent in the alpha -AgI microcrystals in the 82AgI.18(0.75Ag(2)O.0.25B(2)O( 3)) composite prepared by the rapid quenching of melt, whereas no beta -AgI nuclei are formed in the alpha -AgI crystals in the 74AgI.26(0.33Ag(2)O.0- 67MoO(3)) composite prepared by the heating and cooling of glass.