Microwave reaction of Ln(OAc)3·xH2O, Ln = Gd, Eu; OAc = acetate) with and in the ionic liquid [C4mim][BF4] (C4mim = 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) allows the fast and efficient synthesis of small, uniform, oxygen-free lanthanide nanofluorides with excellent photophysical behaviour. For GdF3 : Eu3+ nanoparticles a quantum efficiency of up to 145% was determined.
