The alpha-LiALO(2) powders have been successfully prepared by a hydrothermal route based on using the surfactant of heaxadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as the template. One-dimensional (1D) nanorods with higher and lower aspect ratio, 2D mesoporous microsheets were respectively observed with different concentration of the surfactants. A high specific surface area up to 151 m(2)/g was obtained by this method. The formation mechanism of the nanostructural lithium aluminate was proposed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.