In this study, polycrystalline linneite (CO3S4) nanotubes constructed with nanoparticles have been firstly fabricated using 1D Co(CO3)(0.35)Cl--(0.20)(OH)(1.10) nanowires as the sacrificial templates under hydrothermal conditions. The samples are characterized by means of XRD and TEM. The formation mechanism of the Co3S4 nanotubes can be explained by the nanoscale Kirkendall effect, which results from the difference in diffusion rates between cobalt source and hydrogen sulfide. This simple synthetic route is expected to prepare other nanomaterials with the tubular structures. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.