Here we reported a simple method to synthesize transition metal oxide nanowires. Copper oxide (CuO), zinc oxide (ZnO), and cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanowires were synthesized by heating the copper, zinc, and cobalt substrates under atmosphere condition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to analyze the morphology and microstructure of the nanowires. According to our experimental results, self-catalysis growth mechanism was proposed to explain the growth of the nanowires. The temperature window for the growth of nanowires was estimated by taking into account the Gibbs free energy of reaction. The synthesis approach observed in our experiment could be applied to synthesize other one-dimensional structures, such as FeSe and Bi2Te3 nanowires. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.