ZnO nanomaterials with wurtzite structure were synthesized by simple thermal evaporation method from pure Zn or Zn-Sb alloys with three Sb/Zn mole ratios (1:50, 1:15, 1:6) at the same eperimental conditions. XRD patterns, Raman spectra and XPS analysis clearly indicate that Sb element has been doped into the ZnO lattice. As the Sb/Zn mole ratio of the evaporated materials increases, the Sb content doped into the ZnO lattice increases, and the shape of ZnO nanomaterials varies from tetrapod-shaped whisker, nanorod (aspect ratio 5:1 or 2:1) to hexagon nanoplate, which implies that the shape of the ZnO nanomaterials could be controlled via doping Sb. Finally, the controlled growth mechanism of ZnO nanomaterials was discussed in detail. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.