Inspired by the agitation effect of propellers, heterogeneous propeller- shaped CaO/ZnO architectures were assembled in aqueous solution. Preferred nucleation and growth of CaO and ZnO nuclei resulted in their hexagonal nanosheets, and they were end to end combined into propeller-shaped architectures by oriented rotation and attachment reactions. When propeller-shaped CaO/ZnO product was used as solid base catalyst to synthesize biodiesel, a high biodiesel yield of 97.5% was achieved. The predominant exposure of active O2- on CaO(0 0 2) and ZnO(0 0 0 2) planes in propeller-shaped CaO/ZnO, led to good catalytic activity and high yield of biodiesel. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.