Urchin-like Cu3CrO6 center dot 2H(2)O nanostructures have been successfully synthesized via a facile and fast sonochemical route. The composition, morphology and size of the as-obtained product were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). These results showed that the as-synthesized Cu3CrO6 center dot 2H(2)O urchins have average diameters of 1 mu m and an individual urchin sphere is composed of numerous small nanowires. Typical Cu3CrO6 center dot 2H(2)O nanowires have diameters of 5 nm. Studies found that ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA) plays an important role to determine the morphology of the products. The self-assembly and oriented attachment procedure has been proposed for the possible formation mechanism. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of the urchin-like nanostructures calculated from the nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm is about 78 m(2) g(-1). Additionally, room-temperature photoluminescence of the Cu3CrO6 center dot 2H(2)O with different morphologies has also been investigated. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.