A curable composition for production of coatings with an antimicrobial property contains at least one film-forming polymer, at least one up-conversion phosphor, optionally, at least one additive, and optionally, at least one curing agent. The phosphor is selected from the idealized general formula (I), A.sub.1-x-y-zB*.sub.yB.sub.2SiO.sub.4:Ln.sup.1.sub.x,Ln.sup.2.sub.z,, where x=0.0001-0.05, z=0 or z=0.0001 to 0.3, and y=x+z; A is selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba; B is selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs; B* is selected from Li, Na, and K; where B is the same as B* or B is not the same as B*, and B and B* are preferably not the same; Ln.sup.1 is selected from praseodymium (Pr), erbium (Er), and neodymium (Nd); and Ln.sup.2 is optionally selected from gadolinium (Gd).

Garnet silicate is garnet silicate containing, as a main component, silicate represented by a general formula: Lu.sub.2CaMg.sub.2(SiO.sub.4).sub.3. The garnet silicate includes primary particles having a particle shape derived from a crystal structure of garnet. Moreover, the garnet silicate further contains alkaline metal including at least lithium, in which a content of the alkaline metal is less than 2000 ppm. The garnet silicate phosphor includes garnet silicate and ions which are included in the garnet silicate and function as a light emission center. The wavelength converter includes the garnet silicate phosphor. A light emitting device includes the garnet silicate phosphor or the wavelength converter.

The invention provides novel nanoparticles with tunable and multi-color afterglow emission for extended time after excitation, and compositions thereof as well as methods for their preparation and use in various applications.

Persistent infrared (IR) phosphors are disclosed. In an embodiment a phosphor has the general formula: M1.sub.(m−k)Ga.sub.(2n−x−y−z)M2.sub.pO.sub.(rm+3n+2p:xSb.sup.3+,yM3,zD,kM4, wherein M1 is chosen from magnesium, calcium, barium, strontium, zinc, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, gadolinium, lutetium, or bismuth, or combinations thereof; M2 is chosen from silicon, germanium, tin, titanium, zirconium, or combinations thereof; M3 is chosen from magnesium, aluminum, indium, scandium, or combinations thereof; M4 is chosen from praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, or combinations thereof; D is chosen from chromium, iron, nickel, manganese, or cobalt, or combinations thereof; and wherein 1≤m≤4; 1≤n≤3; 0≤p≤5; 0.0002≤x≤2n; 0≤y≤2n; 0.0001≤z≤0.1; 0≤k≤0.1; and r is selected from 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3.

The present invention provides for a composition comprising a pigment, wherein the composition is suitable for coating a surface that is, or is expected to be, exposed to the sun. The pigment comprises particles that fluoresce in sunlight, thereby remaining cooler in the sun than coatings pigmented with non-fluorescent particles. The particles comprise solids that fluoresce or glow in the visible or near infrared (NIR) spectra, or that fluoresce when doped. Suitable dopants include, but are not limited to, ions of rare earths and transition metals. A coating composition includes: (i) a film-forming resin; (ii) an infrared reflective pigment; and (iii) an infrared fluorescent pigment different from the infrared reflective pigment. When the coating composition is cured to form a coating and exposed to radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation, the coating has a greater effective solar reflectance (ESR) compared to the same coating exposed to the radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation except without the infrared fluorescent pigment. A multi-layer coating including the coating composition, and a substrate at least partially coated with the coating composition is also disclosed. A method of reducing temperature of an article includes applying the coating composition to at least a portion of the article.

A curable composition for production of coatings with an antimicrobial property contains at least one film-forming polymer, at least one up-conversion phosphor, optionally, at least one additive, and optionally, at least one curing agent. The phosphor is selected from the idealized general formula (I), A.sub.1-x-y-zB*.sub.yB.sub.2SiO.sub.4:Ln.sup.1.sub.x,Ln.sup.2.sub.z,, where x=0.0001-0.05, z=0 or z=0.0001 to 0.3, and y=x+z; A is selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba; B is selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs; B* is selected from Li, Na, and K; where B is the same as B* or B is not the same as B*, and B and B* are preferably not the same; Ln.sup.1 is selected from praseodymium (Pr), erbium (Er), and neodymium (Nd); and Ln.sup.2 is optionally selected from gadolinium (Gd).

The invention relates to a fiber and a textile woven with the fiber, the fiber has two surfaces, a light-reflective layer and a luminescent layer respectively, and thus has light-reflective and luminescent functions. The functional fiber can be woven into a textile, or used as a sewing thread or an embroidery thread, so that apparels with the textile, the sewing thread or the embroidery thread have light-reflective and luminescent properties, making the apparels fashionable and capable of providing safety.

The present invention provides for a composition comprising a pigment, wherein the composition is suitable for coating a surface that is, or is expected to be, exposed to the sun. The pigment comprises particles that fluoresce in sunlight, thereby remaining cooler in the sun than coatings pigmented with non-fluorescent particles. The particles comprise solids that fluoresce or glow in the visible or near infrared (NIR) spectra, or that fluoresce when doped. Suitable dopants include, but are not limited to, ions of rare earths and transition metals. A coating composition includes: (i) a film-forming resin; (ii) an infrared reflective pigment; and (iii) an infrared fluorescent pigment different from the infrared reflective pigment. When the coating composition is cured to form a coating and exposed to radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation, the coating has a greater effective solar reflectance (ESR) compared to the same coating exposed to the radiation comprising fluorescence-exciting radiation except without the infrared fluorescent pigment. A multi-layer coating including the coating composition, and a substrate at least partially coated with the coating composition is also disclosed. A method of reducing temperature of an article includes applying the coating composition to at least a portion of the article.

A method of growing a rare-earth oxyorthosilicate crystal, and crystals grown using the method are disclosed. The method includes preparing a melt by melting a first substance including at least one first rare-earth element and providing an atmosphere that includes an inert gas and a gas including oxygen.

A light conversion device comprising a layer formed from an inorganic binder, the inorganic binder comprising: from about 25 to about 80 wt % of a filler; from about 20 to about 75 wt % of an inorganic adhesive; and from about 0.5 to about 5 wt % of a dispersant. The inorganic binders are capable of withstanding high temperatures, have a high light transmittance, have a high tensile-shear strength, can be applied by a flexible coating process, and have a low curing temperature. Such inorganic binders could advantageously be employed in a variety of applications, such light tunnels (300), projection display systems, and optical light conversion devices, such as phosphor wheels (100), used in such systems.