Carbon-assisted synthesis of silicon nanowires has been accomplished with silicon powders as well as solid substrates. The method involves heating an intimate mixture of silicon powder and activated carbon or a carbon coated solid substrate in argon at 1200-1350 degreesC, and yields abundant quantities of crystalline nanowires. Besides being simple, the method eliminates the use of metal catalysts. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.