A multifunctional polymerizable ionic liquid, diallyldimethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (DADMA BF4), is used in a one-pot synthesis of novel luminescent polymer-nanoparticle composites. First, small monodisperse lanthanide fluoride nanoparticles are formed by microwave irradiation in the presence of Ln(OAc)(3)center dot xH(2)O (Ln = Gd, Eu, Tb; OAc = acetate) in the ionic liquid. The nanoparticles can be precipitated for structural characterization or kept in the solution, which yields after irradition by high intensity UV light colorless, processable polymer materials with good photophysical properties. Both green-emitting Tb-containing and red-emitting Eu-containing IL- polymers are described.