Synthetic layered iron phenyl phosphate (Fe(OH)(C(6)H(5)PO(4)H)(1.6)(H(2)PO(4))(0.4)center dot 5.1H(2)O: FePP), which is composed of a multilayer alternating bilayer of phenyl groups of the phosphates and amorphous iron phosphate phase, was exfoliated in ethanol under ultrasonic irradiation. The exfoliation of FePP was recognized at 10-10,000 ppm of FePP concentration. No reaggregation and reprecipitation of the nanosheets took place for at least 6 months of standing at room temperature. The UV-vis measurements indicated that the nanosheet dispersing solution possessed a UV absorption property which would be due to the charge transfer transition of Fe-O. The FePP nanosheet-doped silica gel with UV absorption property could be prepared by sol-gel process. The Beer's plot and EDX elemental mapping analysis for Fe and P revealed that the nanosheets are homogeneously dispersed in the silica gels. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.