The influence of temperature on the formation of one-dimensional (ID) ZnO from epsilon-Zn(OH)(2) via solution route was studied in this paper, using ZnSO4 and NaOH as the raw materials. The experimental results indicated that the increase of temperature from 25 degrees C to 80 degrees C accelerated the conversion of E-Zn(OH)2 to ZnO, leading to the formation of ID ZnO with comparative big diameters. A two-stage route was then developed to synthesize ZnO nanorods with diameters of 20-100 nm and lengths of 1-3 mu m by aging Zn (OH)(2) in 1.0 mol L NaOH at 25 degrees C for 72 h followed by aging the slurry at 80 degrees C for 2 h. Compared with the ZnO submicron-rods (diameters: 100-500 nm, lengths: 1-3 pm) formed at 80 degrees C, the ZnO nanorods formed via the two-stage route exhibited a thinner diameter and a higher photo-degradation activity for Rhodamine B owing to the pre-formation of ZnO nanorods (diameters: 10-50 nm) on e-Zn(OH)(2) surface at 25 degrees C as well as the existence of more oxygen defects. (C) 2014 Elsevier By, All rights reserved.