A solvothermal pathway has been applied to synthesize nanocrystalline CaWO4 in the presence of organic additives such as ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG-200) and polyethylene glycol 2000 (PEG-2000) at the different reactions. All products have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission election microscopy. Crystalline nanorods of CaWO4 were produced in the presence of PEG-200 at 180degreesC and pH 9 for 14 h. However, spherical nanoparticles of CaWO4 were produced in the presence of ethylene glycol at 60-180degreesC or PEG-2000 at 180degreesC for 14 h. The luminescence properties of these nano-sized CaWO4 were studied. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.