Single porous In2O3 nanosheets and In2O3/C nanosheet composite with double phases of c-In2O3 and rh-In2O3 were fabricated by a facile one-step solvothermal treatment of a mixture of D-fructose and In(NO3)(3) using urea as a precipitating agent in water-ethanol mixed solution followed by calcination. The effect of solution on the fabrication of In2O3 nanosheets was investigated and a possible mechanism was proposed to explain the formation of nanosheets. In2O3/C nanosheet composite electrode exhibited a high lithium storage capacity of 869 mAhg (1) after 100 cycles at 100mA g (1), excellent rate and long-term cycling performance. The superior electrochemical performance could be ascribed to the incorporation of carbon and the unique nanosheet architecture of the nanocomposite. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.