Behavior of silver molybdate at high-pressure

Behavior of cubic spinel phase of Ag2MoO4 is investigated at high pressure using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The P–V data are fitted to a third order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state using a value of B0=113 GPa and B′0=4. The compound is also found to exhibit a phase transition around 5 GPa to a tetragonal structure and the two phases are found to coexist over a range of pressures. Raman spectra exhibit dramatic changes across the phase transition. Increase of X-ray background scattering and broadening of the Raman peaks associated with MoO4 tetrahedral ions in the high pressure phase suggest evolution of positional disorder. However, no evidence of pressure-induced amorphization was found up to 47 GPa.