Single-crystalline hafnium carbide (HfC) nanowires were synthesized by a Ni-catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method at 1025 degrees C below the eutectic temperature (TB). The synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD and EDX results indicate that well stoichiometric HfC nanowires were obtained. SEM and TEM investigations show the HfC nanowires possess typical diameters of similar to 50 nm and lengths of tens of microns. Most of the nanowires are grown along < 112 > crystal directions and the cluster/column interfaces at the wire tips parallel to the {011} crystal planes. Although the synthesis temperature of the nanowires is at least 75 degrees C lower than TE, the vapor -liquid -solid growth of the HfC nanowires still occurs probably due to nanoscale size effects and curvature effects. In addition, it is found that the diameters of the synthesized products increase when raising the synthesis temperature. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved