YVO4:Eu3+ phosphor particles have been encapsulated with silica using core-shell technology to produce particles of 400-600 nm in size. The surface of the outer silica shell was further functionalised by the introduction of iron oxide nanoparticles, thus producing a material possessing both magnetic and luminescent properties. The YVO4:Eu3+@SiO2-magnetite composite material was characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and emission spectroscopy. Characterisation of the outer iron oxide coating with Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy, magnetization measurements and scanning electron microscopy reveals the presence of non-stoichiometric maghemite and magnetite nanoparticles of sizes less than similar to 20 nm. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.