In this study, Nd6MoO12 nanostructures were prepared via a facile coprecipitation-calcination method. Results of this study display that morphology and particle size of the Nd6MoO12 nanostructures can be controlled by altering the precipitators and surfactants. Neodymium molybdenum oxide nanostructures with different morphologies such as unique sphere-like, rod-like and hierarchical were successfully synthesized. The as-prepared Nd6MoO12 nanostructures were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance analysis. The photocatalytic degradation of the methylene blue as water pollutant was performed to investigate the photodecomposition properties of various particle sizes and morphologies of neodymium molybdenum oxide samples. (C) 2017 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.