Zirconia needles have been successfully synthesized using a simple inorganic sol-gel process without using any template. The method employs mixture of zirconium oxychloride octahydrate and sulphuric acid in aqueous medium. This process requires heat treatment at 40 degrees C for 2 h in an oven for nucleus formation. Complete formation of needle occurs after 17 days. The green needle retained its original shape after calcination at 1200 degrees C. Fired needles were of 1-2 cm in length and 5-50 mu m in diameter and possess monoclinic phase. Needles are composed of multiple fibres. Depending on the heat treatment temperature, crystallite size varies in the range of 8 to around 300 nm. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.