Downsizing of YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ nanoparticles through hydrophobization by surface modification with primary alkylamines

YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized in water by wet chemical synthesis via citrate precursors are hydrophobized by surface modification with either oleylamine or octylamine and phase transfer into pentane phase. The dried hydrophobized NPs are redispersed well in nonpolar solvents containing oleic acid. Their hydrodynamic sizes are smaller than that of the hydrophilic NPs dispersed in water before the hydrophobization. The downsizing of NPs could be explained by releasing the aggregation of NPs through the hydrophobization process.