Single crystalline Bi2S3 nanorods have been prepared using a polyol method through reaction between bismuth nitrate and thiourea. The product was characterized using XRD, TEM and HRTEM. Side-by-side growth, dendritic growth and haystack form growth of Bi2S3 nanorods were observed in the samples grown in different alkaline media. The mechanism for the growth of Bi2S3 nanorods was discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.