Herein, a facile combustion synthesis strategy (CS) was constructively developed for the highly-efficient preparation of SiAION based phosphors. Yellow light emitting behavior was endued to the Ca-alpha-SiAION ceramic powders by doping of Eu2+. The Si average particle size and nitrogen pressure were known to play vital roles in the CS reaction. The distinct impacts of these two important processing parameters on the phase composition, microstructure and photoluminescence properties of products were firstly thoroughly studied in the CS system of Ca-alpha-SiAION:Eu2+ phosphors. The experimental results demonstrated that the comprehensive properties of as-synthesized phosphors would be-evidently promoted by the-utilization of appropriate Si particle size and nitrogen pressure, respectively 4 pm and 5 MPa in this system. The phosphors were featured with high phase purity, good state of crystallization, favorable uniformity and equiaxed morphology. A strong yellow emission was peaked at 576 nm under excitation of near-UV or blue light. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.