High-aspect-ratio, monocryst. Cd chloride nanowires doped with fluorescent CdS nanoparticles were synthesized using planar lipid membranes as templates. Cd2+ ions bound to the lipid bilayers (a) are released at low pH to the nanometer-sized, interlamellar H2O films (b) where the sudden increase in concn. gives nanowires (c) that show excellent light-waveguiding properties. [on SciFinder (R)]