Glass samples of
composition 40AgI–(60–x)AgPO3–xAg2WO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 25 mol %) have been prepared
by the conventional melt-quenching method. These glasses receive renewed
interest due to their ionic conductivity and transparency in the visible
range. Because the physical and optical properties of these glasses
are highly dependent on composition in this system, a comprehensive
structural study has been carried out using Raman spectroscopy and
1D and 2D NMR of the 31P and 109Ag nuclei. With
increasing Ag2WO4 content, the network is modified
from a 1D Q(2)-like chain structure to a topology in which
Q(1) and Q(0) species linked to octahedrally
coordinated tungsten species dominate. This structural transformation
increases the glass rigidity and stability against hydrolysis reactions.
The compositional evolution of the phosphate speciation (in terms
of Q(n)
mW units) is consistent
with maximum tungstate dispersion in glasses with x ≤ 10, while for glasses with higher tungstate content the
data are more consistent with a random distribution of P–O–P,
P–O–W, and W–O–W linkages. The 109Ag NMR chemical shifts are independent of composition and suggest
that mobile silver ions are situated within cluster regions, furnishing
a constant mixed iodide/oxide local environment.