Antimicrobial properties of α-Ag2WO4 rod-like microcrystals synthesized by sonochemistry and sonochemistry followed by hydrothermal conventional method

In this study we report the synthesis of silver tungstate microcrystals (α-Ag₂WO₄) by sonochemistry method (SC) at 65 °C and sonochemistry followed by conventional hydrothermal (SC + HC) for 1, 6 and 12 h, at 140 °C. The structural characterization by XRD confirms the alpha phase of the orthorhombic structure and the space group Pn2n, for all synthesized microcrystals. All the actives modes identified at the Raman spectroscopy were characteristic of alpha phase. The optical band gap by UV-Vis spectroscopy using the diffuse reflectance were 2.98, 3.0, 2.99 and 2.96 eV, for the microcrystals SC, SC + HC-1 h, SC + HC-6 h and SC + HC-12 h, respectively. FE-SEM images show the rod-like microcrystals, however, exhibiting the plane surface (1 0 1) only for the synthesized microcrystals with the assistance of the hydrothermal method (SC + HC-1 h, SC + HC- 6 h and SC + HC-12 h). The antimicrobial potential was confirmed for all α-Ag₂WO₄ microcrystals synthesized. However, the SC + HC-12 h microcrystals were more susceptible in the bacterial and fungal inhibition, with MIC values for microorganisms C. albicans, T. rubrum, MRSA e EHEC, 0.2-0.5, 4-9, 250 and 31.25 μg mL^-1, respectively.