In this study, a nanorod-like Fe2O3/graphene nanocomposite is synthesized by a facile template-free hydrothermal method and a following calcination in air at 300 A degrees C for 2 h. The Fe2O3 nanorods with diameter of 15-30 nm and length of 120-300 nm are homogenous distributed on both sides of graphene. The morphologies of intermediates at different hydrothermal reaction times are investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization, and a possible growth mechanism of this one-dimensional structure is proposed. It is shown that the alpha-FeOOH rodlike precursors are formed through a rolling-broken-growth (RBG) model, then the alpha-FeOOH is transformed into alpha-Fe2O3 nanorods during calcinations, preserving the same rodlike morphology. Electrochemical characterizations demonstrate that the Fe2O3 nanorod/graphene composites exhibit a very large reversible capacity of 1063.2 mAh/g at the charge/discharge rate of 0.1 C.