A silicate-based lanthanide ion doped material converts electromagnetic radiation energy of a longer wavelength of below 530 nm to electromagnetic radiation energy of shorter wavelengths in the range of 220 to 425 nm. The silicate-based material is a crystalline silicate material doped with lanthanide ions selected from praseodymium, gadolinium, erbium, and neodymium. For co-doping, at least two of the lanthanide ions are used. The silicate-based material is obtainable from a blend comprising salts and an organic solvent, followed by specific calcination processes and tribological impacts to adjust particle size and to increase the crystallinity of the particles. The silicate-based material can be used to inactivate microorganisms or cells covering a surface containing the silicate-based material under exposure of electromagnetic radiation energy of a longer wavelength of below 500 nm.

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 water-based curable composition, for production of coatings having an antimicrobial property, contains at least one film-forming polymer, optionally at least one additive and/or at least one curing agent, and at least one up-conversion phosphor of the 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. In the general formula (I), x=0.0001-0.0500; z=0.0000 or z=0.0001 to 0.3000 with the proviso that: 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; and preferably B and B* are not the same. Additionally, Ln.sup.1 is selected from praseodymium (Pr), erbium (Er), and neodymium (Nd); and Ln.sup.2 is gadolinium (Gd). The phosphor, as a result of an aftertreatment, includes at least one material which has a band gap of greater than 6.0 electronvolts (eV) and is hydrolysis-stable.

A curable composition for production of coatings having an antimicrobial property, contains at least one film-forming polymer, optionally at least one additive and/or at least one curing agent, and at least one up-conversion phosphor of the 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. In the general formula (I), x=0.0001-0.0500; z=0.0000 or z=0.0001 to 0.3000 with the proviso that: 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; and preferably B and B* are not the same. Additionally, Ln.sup.1 is selected from praseodymium (Pr), erbium (Er), and neodymium (Nd); and Ln.sup.2 is gadolinium (Gd). The phosphor has been prepared using at least one halogen-containing flux.

A quantum dot film, a method of preparing the same, and a display device are disclosed. The quantum dot film includes a quantum dot layer and a plurality of protection layers. The quantum dot layer includes a plurality of red quantum dots, green quantum dots and scattering particles, which are uniformly dispersed in a high molecular polymer substrate. Material of the plurality of scattering particles is high refractive index material with a particle size ranging from 200 nm to 1 μm. By the plurality of scattering particles with a high refractive index disposed in the quantum dot layer, the self-absorption phenomenon between a plurality of quantum dots is reduced, and a light extraction rate is improved.

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 device including an LED light source optically coupled to a phosphor material including a green-emitting phosphor selected from the group consisting of compositions (A1)-(A62) and combinations thereof.

An oxide fluorescent material comprises: at least one first element M.sup.1 selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs; at least one second element M.sup.2 selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Zn; at least one third element M.sup.3 selected from B, Al, Ga, In, and rare earth elements; at least one fourth element M.sup.4 selected from Si, Ti, Ge, Zr, Sn, Hf, and Pb; O; and Cr, wherein when the molar ratio of the at least one fourth element M.sup.4 in 1 mol of the composition is 5, the molar ratio of the at least one first element M.sup.1 is 0.7 or more and 1.3 or less, the molar ratio of the at least one second element M.sup.2 is 1.5 or more and 2.5 or less, the molar ratio of the at least one third element M.sup.3 is 0.7 or more and 1.3 or less, the molar ratio of oxygen is 12.9 or more and 15.1 or less, and the molar ratio of Cr is more than 0 and 0.2 or less, and wherein the oxide fluorescent material has a light emission peak wavelength in a range of 700 nm or more and 1,050 nm or less in a light emission spectrum of the oxide fluorescent material.

A process can be used for the preparation of an up-conversion phosphor of the 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,   (I).

The process involves preparing a mixture, introducing the mixture into a reaction chamber of a thermal apparatus, heating the mixture until a thermal treatment temperature is reached with a heating ramp, thermally treating the heated mixture for a holding time of at least 0.02 h, cooling the thermally treated material to room temperature while maintaining a cooling ramp, and obtaining a silicate-based lanthanoid ion-doped phosphor according to formula (I).

A process can be used for the preparation of an up-conversion phosphor of the general formula (I)

##STR00001##

The process involves providing i) at least one lanthanoid salt, ii) a silicate or a silicon dioxide, iii) at least one alkaline earth metal salt and at least one alkali metal salt, and iv) at least one flux. The process then involves either mixing components i), ii), iii) and iv) by grinding to obtain a mixture; or mixing components i), ii), iii) and iv) in an organic polar or nonpolar solvent that is not a protic solvent by grinding to obtain a mixture, and precalcining the mixture. The process further involves calcining the mixture, and obtaining a silicate-based up-conversion phosphor of the general formula (I), preferably after cooling the material. At least 3.5% by weight of flux is used, based on the total amount of the reactants.