Experimental thermodynamic study of intermetallic phases in the binary Ag-Te system by an improved EMF method

► A new philosophy for constructing solid-state galvanic cells has been employed. ► A new experimental arrangement to control temperature gradient has been employed. ► Accurate thermodynamic properties of Ag5Te3, Ag1.9Te and Ag2Te were obtained. ► New experimental thermodynamic data for Ag-Te-intermetallic phases were observed. ► Thermodynamic functions for Ag-Te-intermetallic phases were explicitly determined.