Pure, crystalline, blue-emitting NaSr1-XPO4:Eu-X with X=0-0.06 phosphor powder is formed by the thermal decomposition of a metal-nitrate-citrate-polyethylene glycol complex at 1300 degrees C in a reducing atmosphere. The resulting phosphor powder emits blue luminescence with a peak intensity at 428 nm under ultraviolet excitation at 374 nm. Compared with the powder synthesized by a conventional solid-state reaction, the chemically prepared powder exhibits a higher emission intensity and requires a lower Eu content to reach the maximum intensity.