This paper presents the results of an investigation into the synthesis of La(OH)(3) nanorods by low-temperature aging. It was found that formation of La(OH)(3) nanorods was suppressed at room temperature and also by the presence of precipitation by-products, such as NaCH3COO and residual NaOH, during the aging process. Well formed nanorods were only achieved by washing the precipitated suspension prior to aging at an elevated temperature of 60 degrees C. Unlike previous studies that utilized hydrothermal processing at high temperature and pressure, the nanorods synthesised in this study were not single crystals but were instead composed of crystals viewed down the [1 (2) over bar 10] and [1 (1) over bar 00] zone axes with a common [0001] growth direction. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.