Novel　mixed　metal　orthoborate　Ba2ZnTb2(BO3)4　was　obtained　through　the　high-temperature　solid-state　reaction　at　950　°C.　Its　crystal　structure　was　determined　by　single-crystal　X-ray　diffraction　for　the　first　time.　The　compound　crystallizes　in　the　orthorhombic　system,　Pbca　space　group,　with　cell　parameters　a　=　13.4360(1),　b　=　6.4539(1),　c　=　25.3262(2)　Å,　V　=　2196.15(4)　Å3　and　Z　=　8.　It　represents　a　novel　structure　type　in　which　ZnO4　tetrahedra　and　TbO8　polyhedra　are　interconnected　via　corner-,　edge-,　and　face-sharing　to　form　1D　[Zn2Tb4O24]n32n−　chains.　Some　B　atoms　reside　in　triangular　voids　of　the　chains　to　strengthen　the　structure,　while　the　others　‘stitch’　the　chains　together　via　B–O　bonds　to　create　a　3D　[Zn2Tb4(BO3)8]n8n−　network,　with　the　open　channels　hosting　Ba2+　ions.　In　addition,　polycrystalline　samples　of　Ba2ZnTb2-2xEu2x(BO3)4　(0　≤　x　≤　1)　were　synthesized　via　solid-state　reaction　at　780　°C　and　systematically　characterized　by　powder　XRD　combined　with　Rietveld　refinements,　SEM,　IR/Raman,　XPS　and　photoluminescence　spectroscopy.　As　it　was　revealed,　due　to　the　Tb3+　→　Eu3+　energy　transfer,　the　emission　color　of　the　obtained　phosphors　can　be　continuously　tuned　from　green　(0.2947,　0.5876)　to　orange　(0.5766,　0.3994)　and　eventually　to　red　(0.6419,　0.3536)　upon　the　near-UV　excitation　at　377　nm　through　changing　the　Eu3+/Tb3+　ratio.　The　representative　Ba2ZnTb1.998Eu0.002(BO3)4　sample　shows　a　QY　of　∼14.84　%　(λex　=　377　nm),　and　its　emission　intensity　at　423　K　still　maintains　∼66　%　of　that　at　303　K.　All　these　observations　indicate　that,　by　properly　doping　activators　and　selecting　the　excitation　wavelength,　this　borate　phosphor　displays　multicolor　tunable　emission　that　may　have　potential　applications　in　multicolor　lighting　and　color　display.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.