Highly uniform lithium vanadium oxide nanoribbons were successfully prepared in large quantities using a facile hydrothermal approach without employing any surfactants or templates. The as-prepared products were up to hundreds of micrometers in length, about 200 nm in width, and 20 nm in thickness. These nanoribbons and nafion composite were employed to modify glassy carbon electrode, which displayed excellent electrochemical sensitivity and rapid response in detecting dopamine in phosphate buffer solution. Lithium ions can greatly increase the electron transfer between the electrode and biological materials, and significantly increase the reversibility of electrochemical process. A linear relationship between the concentrations of dopamine and its oxidation peak currents was obtained. The linear range for the detection of dopamine was 2.0 x 10(-6) to 1.0 x 10(-4) M with a detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-7) M. In addition, the good reproducibility and long-term stability of the sensor make it valuable for further application. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.