Single-crystalline Y(OH)(3):Eu nanowires have been prepared by polymer-assisted hydrothermal method. The yields of the nanowires were higher than 95%. XRD patterns showed that the products were the hexagonal Y(OH)(3) structure. SEM images displayed that the nanowires consisted of nanobelts and nanorods. The nanorods have the diameter of about 95 nm and length up to several tens of microns, and the nanobelts have the width of similar to 95 nm, and the thickness of similar to 20 nm, and the length of several tens of microns. Y(OH)(3):Eu nanowires were converted to Y2O3:Eu nanowires by thermal decomposition Lit 500 degrees C for 3 h. The morphologies still remained. The photoluminescence (PL) properties of Y(OH)(3):Eu and Y2O3:Eu nanowires were studied. There are four strong peaks at 592, 616, 651 and 696 nm for the Y(OH)(3):Eu nanowires under the excitation of 396 nm. There is only strong peak at 611 nm for the Y2O3:Eu nanowires under the excitation of 465 nm. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.