A cathodic electrodeposition was potentiostatically performed in an anionic surfactant solution under various electrodeposition conditions to investigate the influence of the condition on the structure of electrodeposited products, c-axis oriented ZnO films, ZnO nanoparticles shaped like ellipsoidal grains, and lamellar-structured organic/inorganic hybrids. The single phase of the ZnO nanoparticles was obtained only at a specific electrodeposition condition which was confirmed to be the boundary condition for two phases of the c-axis oriented ZnO and the lamellar hybrids. The origin of synthesis of the ZnO nanoparticles is probably a competitive formation reaction between the products of the two phases. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.