An object is to provide a new type of near-infrared ray-emitting phosphor which exhibits excellent emission intensity. A near-infrared ray-emitting phosphor is represented by a general formula, (Y, Lu, Gd).sub.3-x-y (Ga,Al,Sc).sub.5O.sub.12:(Cr.sub.x,(Yb,Nd).sub.y) (0.05<x<0.3, 0≤y<0.3).

The present invention relates to a ruthenium precursor compound, and more particularly, to a ruthenium precursor compound which is for providing ruthenium to an ammonia decomposition reaction catalyst and is represented by Formula C.sub.xH.sub.yO.sub.zN.sub.mRu.sub.n, wherein x is an integer of 3 to 20, y is an integer of 0 to 32, z is an integer of 0 to 20, m is an integer of 0 to 10, and n is an integer of 1 to 3. In addition, the present invention relates to an ammonia reaction catalyst using the ruthenium precursor, and to a method for preparing the ammonia reaction catalyst, and provides an ammonia reaction catalyst having an excellent ammonia conversion rate at low temperatures, thereby being capable of efficient hydrogen production.

Disclosed are a composite oxide which is capable of maintaining a large volume of pores even used in a high temperature environment, and which has excellent heat resistance and catalytic activity, as well as a method for producing the composite oxide and a catalyst for exhaust gas purification employing the composite oxide. The composite oxide contains cerium and at least one element selected from aluminum, silicon, or rare earth metals other than cerium and including yttrium, at a mass ratio of 85:15 to 99:1 in terms oxides, and has a property of exhibiting a not less than 0.30 cm.sup.3/g, preferably not less than 0.40 cm.sup.3/g volume of pores with a diameter of not larger than 200 nm, after calcination at 900° C. for 5 hours, and is suitable for a co-catalyst in a catalyst for vehicle exhaust gas purification.

In an embodiment a conversion element includes a first phase and a second phase, wherein the first phase comprises lutetium, aluminum, oxygen and a rare-earth element, wherein the second phase comprises Al.sub.2O.sub.3 single crystals, and wherein the conversion element comprises at least one groove.

In an embodiment a conversion element includes a first phase and a second phase, wherein the first phase comprises lutetium, aluminum, oxygen and a rare-earth element, wherein the second phase comprises Al.sub.2O.sub.3 single crystals, and wherein the conversion element comprises at least one groove.

A paramagnetic garnet-type transparent ceramic is a sintered body of complex oxide represented by the following formula (1), comprising SiO.sub.2 as a sintering aid in an amount of more than 0% by weight to 0.1% by weight or less, and has a linear transmittance of 83.5% or more at the wavelength of 1,064 nm for an optical path length of 25 mm:
(Tb.sub.1-x-yY.sub.xSc.sub.y).sub.3(Al.sub.1-zSc.sub.z).sub.5O.sub.12  (1)
wherein 0.05≤x<0.45, 0<y<0.1, 0.5<1−x−y<0.95, and 0.004<z<0.2.

Provided is a particulate phosphor including a single crystal having a composition represented by a compositional formula (Y.sub.1-x-y-zLu.sub.xGd.sub.yCe.sub.z).sub.3+aAl.sub.5−aO.sub.12 (0≤x≤0.9994, 0≤y≤0.0669, 0.001≤z≤0.004, −0.016≤a≤0.315) and a particle diameter (D50) of not less than 20 μm. Also provided is a light-emitting device including a phosphor-including member that includes the phosphor and a sealing member including a transparent inorganic material sealing the phosphor or a binder including an inorganic material binding particles of the phosphor, and a light-emitting element that emits a blue light for exciting the phosphor.

Provided is a particulate phosphor including a single crystal having a composition represented by a compositional formula (Y.sub.1-x-y-zLu.sub.xGd.sub.yCe.sub.z).sub.3+aAl.sub.5−aO.sub.12 (0≤x≤0.9994, 0≤y≤0.0669, 0.001≤z≤0.004, −0.016≤a≤0.315) and a particle diameter (D50) of not less than 20 μm. Also provided is a light-emitting device including a phosphor-including member that includes the phosphor and a sealing member including a transparent inorganic material sealing the phosphor or a binder including an inorganic material binding particles of the phosphor, and a light-emitting element that emits a blue light for exciting the phosphor.

A microsphere of oxide has an opening on its surface connected to a hollow core inside, forming a cavity. The oxide the microsphere is made of is selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, zirconia, magnesium oxide, calcium oxide and titania. The microsphere of oxide shows better mass and heat transfer characteristics, and has strength significantly higher than that of existing products with similar structures. A FT synthesis catalyst has the microsphere of oxide as a support and an active metal component disposed on the support. The active metal component is one or more selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, and Ru.

A method for producing a ceramic composite includes: preparing a sintered body in a plate form containing a fluorescent material having a composition of a rare earth aluminate, and aluminum oxide; and eluting the aluminum oxide from the sintered body by contacting the sintered body with a basic substance, for example, contained in an alkali aqueous solution, and the dissolution amount of the fluorescent material eluted from the sintered body in the step of eluting the aluminum oxide is 0.5% by mass or less based on an amount of the fluorescent material contained in the sintered body as 100% by mass.