Single-crystalline Auivillium Bi4Ti3O12 nanosheets with dominant (0 1 0) facets have been successfully synthesized by using ammonium bismuth citrate (C6H10BiNO8) as bismuth sources via a conventional hydrothermal route. The as-prepared Bi4Ti3O12 nanosheets were characterized by X-ray diffracton, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM, and selected area electron diffraction. In order to understand the formation mechanism of the Bi4Ti3O12 nanosheets, a set of time-dependent experiments were carried out. The results reveal that the (C6H10BiNO8)(3) ions involved in the feedstock suspensions released by the ionization of C6H10BiNO8 play an important role in the formation of the Bi4Ti3O12 nanosheets. A possible formation mechanism of the Bi4Ti3O12 nanosheets has been discussed based on the analyses of the lattice structure of Bi4Ti3O12 and the effect of C(6)H(10)BiNO(8)used in the feedstock precursors. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier B.V.