3206.50.00.00 - Inorganic products of a kind used as luminophores

This HTS category, 3206.50.00.00, specifically covers inorganic products utilized as luminophores. Luminophores are substances that exhibit luminescence, meaning they absorb energy and then re-emit it as light. This category encompasses raw, chemically defined inorganic compounds or mixtures thereof that possess this light-emitting property and are intended for such use, regardless of whether they are further prepared or compounded into finished products. Examples include phosphors used in fluorescent lighting, cathode ray tubes, and certain types of pigments that glow under specific conditions.

It is crucial to distinguish this category from its sibling entries within heading 3206. While 3206.20.00 covers pigments and preparations based on chromium compounds, and other sibling categories address various other coloring matters and preparations, 3206.50.00.00 is exclusively for inorganic luminophores. The defining characteristic here is the intrinsic luminescent property of the inorganic material itself, which is its primary functional attribute for classification under this heading, rather than its function solely as a colorant or its specific chemical base (like chromium compounds).

As this is a leaf node within the HTS structure, there are no further subcategories to detail. Classification under 3206.50.00.00 is based on the material being inorganic and its intended use as a luminophore. The presence of luminescent properties is the key factor, and if an inorganic product is designed and functions as a luminophore, it falls within this specific classification.