CdWO4:Tb-3(+) nanofibers were synthesized by a simple electrospinning process and followed by the calcination. The XRD and FUR results indicated that the as-prepared samples were amorphous and the calcined samples have the pure monoclinic phase. The SEM and TEM showed that nanofibers comprising of lots of small nanoparticles were obtained after the calcination. The excitation and emission spectra of CdWO4:Tb-3(+) nanofibers suggested that the energy transfer from CdWO4:Tb-3(+) occurred. Under the ultraviolet excitation, CdWO4:Tb-3(+) nanofibers emitted green light centered at 545 nm. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.