Tb3+ activated Sr2MgAl22O36 phosphor was prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction route. The X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the as-prepared samples. The Sr2MgAl22O36:Tb3+ phosphors show intense green light emission under UV excitation. The phosphor exhibit two groups of emission lines from about 370 to 700 nm, which originating from the characteristic D-5(3)-F-7(J) and D-5(4)-F-7(j) transitions of the Tb3+ ion, respectively. The cross-relaxation mechanism between the D-5(3) and D-5(4) emission was investigated and discussed. The emission colors of these phosphors can be tuned from bluish-green to green by adjusting the Tb3+ doping concentration. Furthermore, the thermal quenching temperature (T-1/2) is higher than 500 K. The excellent thermal stability and color-tunable luminescent properties suggest that the developed material is a promising green-emitting phosphor candidate for optical devices. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.