Uniform square-shaped Y2O3 nanosheets with length of about 300 nm and thickness of several nanometers have been successfully prepared by an ion liquid-assisted mix-solvothermal route followed by subsequent calcining treatment.The products were analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).The effects of reaction durations, compositions of solvents, molar ratios of reagents on the morphologies of the products have been investigated.Eu3+ doped Y2O3 nanosheets were also prepared and their photoluminescence properties were also investigated.