Nano-particles of CaZrO3 were successfully synthesized at 850 degrees C using the molten-salt method, and the influence of using nano-size ZrO2 on formation of CaZrO3 was investigated. CaCO3, Na-2 CO3, NaCl, nano-ZrO2 and micro-ZrO2 were used as starting materials. On heating, Na2CO3-NaCl molten eutectic salt provided a liquid medium for reaction of CaCO3 and ZrO2 to form CaZrO3. The results demonstrated that in both nano and micro-ZrO2 inclusive samples, CaZrO3 started to form at about 750 degrees C and that, after the temperature was increased to 1050 degrees C, the amounts of CaZrO3 in the resultant powders increased with a concomitant decrease in CaCO3 and ZrO2 contents. After washing with hot-distilled water, the samples containing nano and micro-ZrO2 heated for 4 h at 850 degrees C and 1050 degrees C, were single-phase CaZrO3 with 90-95 nm and 400-500 nm particle size, respectively. Furthermore, the synthesized CaZrO3 particles retained the size and morphology of the ZrO2 powders, which indicated that a template formation mechanism dominated the formation of CaZrO3 by molten-salt synthesis. (C) 2014 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.