Rod-like lead phosphate Pb-9(PO4)(6) nanocrystals were prepared by a surfactant-assisted chemical precipitation method in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The diameter and length of the nanorods were about 15-25 and 50-100nm, respectively. Furthermore, the possible mechanism for the surfactant-assisted synthesis of Pb-9(PO4)(6) nanorods has been tentatively presented. Luminescence properties of the Pb-9(PO4)(6) nanorods were also investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopy. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.