Novel yttrium basic carbonate hybrid nanocapsules have been prepared using liposome templates. The method resorts to urea hydrolysis to increase the precipitation driving force of Y(OH)CO3 center dot xH(2)O homogeneously. The head groups at the outer vesicle layer act as adsorption sites for hydrolyzing Y(III) ions, thus assisting heterogeneous nucleation. The criteria behind the synthesis, as well as the potentialities of the advanced procedure, are stressed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.