Cadmium oxide (CdO) nanorods (NRs) were synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method with potential for large scale production. The structural and optical properties of synthesized CdO NRs were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV vis.) spectroscopy. The outstanding electrochemical capacitive performance using cyclic voltammetry (CV) test indicates that CdO NRs may be a capable electrode material for stable and high performance supercapacitors. The photocatalytic activity of CdO NRs for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye was carried out with a UV light source equipped with 8W tube. The high surface area and synergistic effect in the synthesized CdO NRs are responsible for excellent photodegradation rate under low power UV irradiation which renders the entire process economically feasible. The development of such low cost and effective photocatalytic and electrode materials is desirable for the next generation photocatalysts and supercapacitor electrodes. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.