A new method for the synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles has been developed whereby an alcohol-type surfactant, sodium alkyl sulfate (SC,S), is used as the reductant, and there is no need for an external reducing agent. By changing the carbon chain length of the surfactant, the diameter of the nanoparticles could be controlled. The Pd nanoparticles/SDS (where SDS is sodium dodecyl sulfate) could be redispersed in both aqueous and non-polar organic solvents, probably because 1-dodecanol was released from SDS and then coadsorbed with SDS on the surface of the nanoparticles, Additionally, a highly ordered 3D "spheres-around-sphere" type nanostructure was found in the Pd nanoparticles/SC10S system. This configuration involved the transformation of the liquid crystal phase of the micelle molecules from micellar to lamellar.