Nanocrystals of stoichiometry LiNbO3 are produced in a film of poly(4-vinylpyridine) (4-PVP) in a matrix-mediated in situ sol-gel-like synthesis. These crystals are produced at room temperature, and show identical size, morphology, phase, and crystallographic orientation. These features are produced by the application of aspects of biological mineralization to the fabrication of this non-biological composite. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.