Patent ID: 7527773

Claim:
A method of forming rare earth oxide nanocrystals, comprising the steps of: dissolving a rare earth comprising compound in a solution comprising at least one coordinating organic solvent of 8 to 22 carbon atoms; heating said solution to a temperature less than the boiling point of said solvent and of at least 160° C. to decompose said rare earth comprising compound thereby providing a sufficient critical supersaturation of at least one active intermediate in said solution to nucleate a plurality of rare earth oxide nanocrystals, growing said plurality of rare earth oxide nanocrystals, said growing step proceeding at least in part in the absence of said critical supersaturation of said active intermediate, and separating said plurality of rare earth oxide nanocrystals from said solution, wherein each of said rare earth oxide nanocrystals are in the form of nanoplates.