SILVER INSERTION MODE IN BETA-AGXV2O5 TUNNEL STRUCTURE

The beta-AgxV2O5 phase of silver vanadate has a large homogeneity range, 0.29 less-than-or-equal-to x less-than-or-equal-to 0.41; the (V2O5), network of its crystal structure is typical of the beta phase of the vanadium oxide bronzes with its oxygenated tunnels running along [010]. Ag atoms are inserted in a novel manner, being distributed onto two distinct crystallographic sites, which explains the overstepping of the theoretical boundary limit of the beta phases, x = 0.33.