A method for the production of a robust, chemically stable, crystalline, passivated nanoparticle and composition containing the same, that emit light with high efficiencies and size-tunable and excitation energy tunable color. The methods include the thermal degradation of a precursor molecule in the presence of a capping agent at high temperature and elevated pressure. A particular composition prepared by the methods is a passivated silicon nanoparticle composition displaying discrete optical transitions.