ZnO nanorods are prepared by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) favored hydrothermal oxidization of zinc metal at 180degreesC. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results show that CTAB played a significant role in the formation of ZnO rods. The presence of CTAB can greatly favor the erosion process and lead to the orientation growth of ZnO nanorods. Possible mechanisms for the CTAB assisted orientation growth of ZnO nanorods are discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.