Layered sheet-like nanocrystalline VO2 center dot 1/2(H2O) has been synthesized by hydrothermal process using V2O5 as vanadium source and 2-phenylethylamine as a reducing agent and a structure-directing template. Techniques X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms have been used to characterize the structure, morphology and composition of the materials. Electrical conductivity measurements showed that the as synthesized VO2 center dot 1/2(H2O) nanosheets has a conductivity value which goes from 75 x 10(-6) Omega(-1) cm(-1) at 298 K, to 68 10(-5) Omega(-1) cm(-1) at 386 K with activation energy of 0.24 eV. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.