A study of silver acetate under extreme conditions

Bhandari, Govinda; Kunz, Martin; Pravica, Michael

doi:10.1039/d5cp04790k

A study of silver acetate under extreme conditions

Journal Article · Mon Feb 16 00:00:00 EST 2026 · Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/d5cp04790k· OSTI ID:3028527

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Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

With the aim of exploring chemical systems that may undergo metallization when irradiated with hard X-rays, we selected silver acetate (AgC₂H₃O₂) for the subject of this study. X-ray-induced decomposition of silver acetate under ambient and high-pressure conditions was observed in a diamond anvil cell (DAC), leading to the formation of metallic nanograins of silver at ambient pressure and 1.65 GPa. At 4 GPa, no decomposition was observed. The Avrami kinetics equation also provides information about novel structural formation at ambient pressure and 1.65 GPa. By modeling of the XRD data, it was found that the size of the silver nanocrystallites formed at 1.65 GPa pressure steadily increased to ∼5 nm after 600 min of X-ray irradiation as determined by applying the Scherrer equation to the diffraction peak widths. Time-resolved X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed pressure-dependent kinetics, demonstrating that coupling pressure with irradiation enables controlled photochemical pathways in this model system. Concurrent with previous studies, the application of high pressure (HP) can be considered as a means of controlling X-ray synthetic photochemistry.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; SC0023248

Other Award/Contract Number:: 2223273

OSTI ID:: 3028527

Journal Information:: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP, Journal Name: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 28; ISSN 1463-9076; ISSN 1463-9084

Publisher:: Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
X-ray
extreme conditions
metallization of salts
photochemistry

A study of silver acetate under extreme conditions

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