Synthesis of rod-shaped nanocrystalline lanthanum phosphate with an average length of 40 nm even after calcination at 400 degrees C has been realized through a room- temperature aqueous sol-gel process. The sol is characterized by particle-size, zeta-potential, and viscosity measurements. Gelation of the sol is induced by ammonia. The lanthanum phosphate phase-formation process is followed by thermal, Fourier-transform IR, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the sol and gel particles have a rod-shaped morphology and comparable particle sizes. Using the Scherrer equation a crystallite size of 11 nm is obtained for the get powder calcined at 400 degrees C and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) nitrogen-adsorption analysis showed a high specific surface area of 100 m(2) g(-1). Ammonia temperature-programmed desorption measurements show that the density of Lewis acid sites is four times higher than ever reported in the case of lanthanum phosphates. The catalytic activity of the above sample is demonstrated by using it as a Lewis-acid catalyst in an acetal-formation reaction with a very good yield of 85%. ne sol is used to develop nanocoatings on a glass surface and the morphology of the coatings is investigated using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The microstructure of the coating confirmed the rod-shaped nature of the so] particles. The coating was uniform with a thickness of about 55 nm.