The spherical and cubic mesoporous BaSO4 particles with high surface area were successfully produced via one-step process through precipitation reaction in aqueous solution of Ba(OH)(2) and H2SO4 with ethylene glycol (n-HOCH2CH2OH) as a modifying agent. The BaSO4 nanomaterial revealed that the high surface area and the mesoporous was stable up to 400 degrees C. Agglomerate mesoporous barium sulfate nanomaterials were obtained by the reaction of Ba2+ and SO42- with ethylene glycol aqueous solution. The ethylene glycol was used to control the BaSO4 particle size and to modify the surface property of the particles produced from the precipitation. The dried and calcined mesoporous BaSO4 nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface area and N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared resonance (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The as-prepared mesoporous dried BaSO4 possesses a high BET surface area of 91.56 m(2) g(-1), pore volume of 0.188 cm(3) g(-1) (P/P-0 = 0.9849) and pore size of 8.22 nm. The SEM indicates that the morphology of BaSO4 nanomaterial shows shell like particles up to 400 degrees C, after that there is drastically change in the material due to agglomeration. Synthesis of mesoporous BaSO4 nanomaterial is of significant importance for both sulphuric acid decomposition and oxidation of methane to methanol. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.