Bi3.15Nd0.85Ti3O12 (BNT) nanorods were successfully synthesized first time by hydrothermal method. The nanorods are uniform along their length, and are composed of single-crystalline BNT with orthorhombic structure. The diameters of BNT nanorods are about 30-120 nm and growth along the [1 0 4] direction, which are promising candidate for nanoscale ferroelectric sensors. Ten Raman active modes were observed for orthorhombic phase BNT nanorods, which are overdamped and highly shifted compare to that of Bi4Ti3O12 (BIT) powders. The chemical composition of the samples and the valence states of elements were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.