Soft chemical synthesis of NaYF4 nanopowders

Abstract
Hydrated NaYF4 powders dominated by the metastable high-temperature cubic phase were precipitated with a fivefold NaF excess from acid solutions of yttrium nitrate. Transformation into the stable hexagonal phase (a = 5.969(2), c = 3.503(1) Å) occurs under heating with an exotherm at ∼400°C.