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.

The present invention discloses a nitrogen-containing luminescent particle, characterized in that a structure of the nitrogen-containing luminescent particle is divided into an oxygen poor zone, a transition zone, and an oxygen rich zone from a core to an outer surface of the particle depending on an increasing oxygen content, the oxygen poor zone being predominantly a nitride luminescent crystal or oxygen-containing solid solution thereof, the transition zone being predominantly a nitroxide material, the oxygen rich zone being predominantly an oxide material or oxynitride material; the nitride luminescent crystal or oxygen-containing solid solution thereof has a chemical formula of M.sub.m-m1A.sub.a1B.sub.b1O.sub.o1N.sub.n1:R.sub.m1, the nitroxide material has a chemical formula of M.sub.m-m2A.sub.a2B.sub.b2O.sub.o2N.sub.n2:R.sub.m2, the oxide material or oxynitride material has a chemical formula of M.sub.m-m3A.sub.a3B.sub.b3O.sub.o3N.sub.n3:R.sub.m3. The nitrogen-containing luminescent particle and the nitrogen-containing illuminant of the present invention have good chemical stability, good aging and light decay resistance, and high luminescent efficiency, and are useful for various luminescent devices. The manufacturing method of the present invention is easy and reliable, and useful for industrial mass production.

A phosphor includes, as a main component, a compound represented by a general formula (3-a)YO.sub.3/2.aCeO.sub.3/2.(5-b)AlO.sub.3/2.bGaO.sub.3/2.cKO.sub.1/2.dPO.sub.5/2, where a, b, c and d satisfy 0.12≦a≦0.18, 1.50≦b≦3.00, 0.01≦c≦0.08, and 0.01≦d≦0.08.

The present invention is a fluorescent material characterized by being represented by a composition of the following formula (1) and having a crystal lattice distortion obtained from a Williamson-Hall plot by X-ray diffraction within the range of 0.0005 to 0.0020. (Sr,Ca,M).sub.3-xMgSi.sub.2O.sub.8:Eu.sub.x formula (1) wherein M is at least one rare earth metal elements selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, Gd, Tb and La, and 0.01≦x≦0.10. Also, the present invention is a light-emitting device including the fluorescent material, and a light source that emits light by irradiating the fluorescent material with excitation light. Furthermore, the present invention is a method for producing the fluorescent material, including the steps of: obtaining an aqueous slurry of a raw material; and spray-drying the aqueous slurry with hot air at 80 to 300° C.

A method of manufacturing a conversion element is disclosed. A precursor material is selected from one or more of lutetium, aluminum and a rare-earth element. The precursor material is mixed with a binder and a solvent to obtain a slurry. A green body is formed from the slurry and the green body is sintered to obtain the conversion element. The sintering is performed at a temperature of more than 1720° C.

A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula Tl.sub.xGd.sub.1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.

A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula Tl.sub.xGd.sub.1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.

A method for manufacturing a phosphor powder of the present invention, in which the phosphor powder contains an inorganic compound in which Eu as an activator is solid-soluted in a crystal represented by Ba.sub.26Si.sub.51O.sub.2N.sub.84 or in an inorganic crystal having the same crystal structure as the crystal represented by Ba.sub.26Si.sub.51O.sub.2N.sub.84, the method including: a mixing step of mixing a raw material containing each element constituting the inorganic compound to obtain a raw material mixture blended such that b=51 and a/b>(26−c)/51 are satisfied when molar ratios of Ba, Si, and Eu in the raw material mixture are respectively a, b, and c; a firing step of firing the raw material mixture to obtain a fired product; and a cleaning treatment step of subjecting the fired product to an acid treatment and/or a water treatment.

A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula Tl.sub.xGd.sub.1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.

Coated components, along with methods of their formation, are provided. The coated component may include a substrate having a surface and a thermal barrier coating on the surface of the substrate. The thermal barrier coating includes a plurality of elongated surface-connected voids therein, and wherein the thermal barrier coating comprises a plurality of nonspherical particles within a thermal barrier material.