A rapid microwave assisted solution combustion process is used to synthesize SrCaP and SrP whiskers. It is observed that SrP whiskers composed of Sr2P2O7 and Sr-5(PO4)(3)Cl can be efficiently synthesized. However, co-existence of Ca2+ and Sr2+ ions in the reaction can inhibit one-dimensional crystal growth. The introduction of Cl- ions to the reacting system is the key to induce the crystal formation towards to one-dimensional structure. The as-synthesized SrP whiskers were characterized and evaluated for potential biomedical applications. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.