A rare-earth ternary complex compound, Tris-(terbium-phthalate)-1, 10-phenanthroline Terbium (III) [Tb(Pht)(3)Phen], was synthesized through the reaction among a rare-earth oxide (Tb407), potassium hydrogen phthalate and phenanthroline, and its structure was characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser particle size (LPS), IR, and X-ray diffraction. This was the first time that Tb(pht)(3)Phen/rubber [nitrile butacliene rubber (NBR) or methyl vinyl silicone rubber (SiR)] composites had been prepared through mechanical mixing processing. SEM revealed that the dimensions of Tb(Pht)3Phen dispersed in matrix rubber were much smaller than those of the original particles of the complex compound. The Tb(Pht)(3)Phen/rubber composites showed much better luminescent performance than the Tb(Pht),Phen complex compound. The fluorescent intensities of the Tb(Pht)(3)Phen /rubber composites, were strongly dependant on the concentration of Th(Pht)(3)Phen, and 30 phr was the optimal concentration for both the Tb(Pht)(3)Phen/NBR and Tb(Pht)(3)Phen/SiR cornposites. Within the concentration range of Tb(Pht),Phen used in this work, the fluorescent intensions of the SiR composites were stronger than those of their NBR counterparts. (C) 2005 Wiley Periodicals,