Cobalt nanoparticles were produced by the hydrogen reduction of cobalt chloride vapor in a multistage tubular aerosol flow reactor. Reaction zone temperature, preheating temperature, mole fractions of CoCl2 and H-2, and residence time were considered as key process variables for the control of particle size and size distribution. Ranging from 50 to 78 nm in average diameter, cobalt nanoparticles with narrow size distributions were synthesized throughout our experiments. All of the considered process variables affected the particle size and size distribution in the synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles. As the reaction zone temperature and the CoCl2 mole fraction increased, the average particle diameter increased. But the average particle diameter decreased as the residence time of reactants increased. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.