The reaction between SiH4 and the lattice oxygen of NiO, CoO, or Fe2O3 was investigated by pulse mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques. The pulse reaction indicated that almost no homogeneous conversion of SiH4 took place until 400 degrees C; the conversion was, however, 19% over NiO, at the low temperature of 100 degrees C. The conversions over oxides followed the sequence CoO > Fe2O3 > NiO. The TEM and XPS investigations allowed one to conclude that SiH4 is converted into amorphous SiO2 and NiSiO3 over NiO and into amorphous SiHxOy over CoO and Fe2O3, with a value of y larger over Fe2O3. The bond strength between the lattice oxygen and the transition metal is mainly responsible for the above behavior; the weaker the bond strength, the easier the oxidation.