The silica containing vanadium oxide which can emit phosphorescence at room temperature was prepared by sol-gel method with tetraethyl orthosilicate,ammonium metavanadate.V2O5 nanocrystals were found to be embedded in the silica first time.The mechanism of phosphorescence emission is attributed to V2O5 nanocrystals.The redshift of phosphorescence was explained with the size effect of V2O5 nanocrystal.The phosphorescence quenching by aether,hyposulphite and hydrofluoric acid was observed,indicating the potential application of the silica to chemical sensor.