In the present work, an easy precipitation method without presence of surfactants is applied to the synthesis of the hexagonal phase of metastable beta-Ag2WO4 microcrystals at room temperature. In addition, we report for first time the in situ formation, growth, and subsequent reabsorption of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of this metastable phase, which was induced by electron beam irradiation under high vacuum. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.