Zirconia and mixed zirconia/titania were synthesized in two different ionic liquids, namely, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amide ([BMP]TFSA) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amide ([EMIm]TFSA) using sol-gel methods. The synthesized oxides were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX)), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TGA-DTA). The results show that the as-synthesized ZrO2 powders obtained either in [BMP]TFSA or in [EMIm]TFSA show amorphous behaviour, and calcination at 500 A degrees C yields t-ZrO2 which is subject to further phase transformation to m-ZrO2 at 1000 A degrees C. The type of the ionic liquid influences the morphology of the synthesized zirconia as the sample obtained from [BMP]TFSA showed a porous morphology with very fine particles in the nanometer regime, whereas micro-rods were obtained from [EMIm]TFSA. ZrO2-TiO2 nanorods with an average diameter of about 100 nm were synthesized in [EMIm]TFSA. The presence of zirconia in the mixed oxides stabilizes the anatase phase and elevates the temperature at which the phase transformation to rutile occurs.