TiO2:Eu3+ nanorods and spindle-shaped nanoparticles have been successfully prepared through simple calcination and hydrothermal process respectively using titanate as the precursors. On the basis of X-ray diffraction results, the as-obtained precursors are titanate (H2Ti2O5 center dot H2O); while nanorods and spindle-shaped nanoparticles are pure anatase phase of TiO2. TEM and SEM images show that the as-formed precursor could be transformed from nanotubes into nanorods and spindle-shaped nanoparticles by the calcination and hydrothermal process respectively. Under UV light excitation, both the TiO2:Eu3+ nanorods and spindle-shaped nanoparticles exhibit the strong red emission. In addition, the luminescence intensity of TiO2:Eu3+ nanorods is higher than that of TiO2:Eu3+ spindle-shaped nanoparticles due to the increases of the bandgap of the TiO2 nanorods. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.