Highly ordered Ag nanorod arrays were successfully fabricated using a simple chemical deposition method with the assistance of porous alumina membrane (PAM) template. The products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ag+ ions in the PAM nanochannels were reduced by acetaldehyde reagent and resulting in the formation of rod array structures. It is found that the diameter of the Ag nanorods is determined by the PAM template, and the length of the Ag nanorods is depended on the reaction temperature. The growth mechanism of the Ag nanorod arrays is investigated in the study. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.