Y2O3:Eu3+ phosphor nanoparticles (4-8 nm in size) with spherical morphology and narrow size distribution were obtained by calcination of composite Y-Eu hydroxide nanoparticles, which were prepared in sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT)/isooctane or polyethylene glycol mono-4-nonylphenyl ether (NP-5)/cyclohexane reverse micellar systems. This was achieved by the incorporation of the Y-Eu hydroxide nanoparticles into polyurea (PUA) via in situ polymerization of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) in the reverse micellar solution and subsequent calcination of the resulting PUA materials. The emission intensity of the Y2O3:Eu3+ nanoparticles, prepared in the AOT/isooctane system, was significantly lower than that of the micrometer-size particles prepared in a homogeneous aqueous solution, since the calcined nanoparticles contained Na2SO4 impurity derived from the remaining AOT surfactant. The nanoparticles prepared in the NP-5/cyclohexane system, in contrast, showed higher emission intensity compared to the nanoparticles prepared in the AOT/isooctane system and longer luminescence lifetime compared to the micrometer-size particles prepared in the homogeneous aqueous solution. The photoluminescence intensity of Y2O3:Eu3+, prepared via the proposed process was found to decrease with decreasing the particle size. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.