Novel SiO2 hierarchical nanostructure has been grown on SiC nanowires using thermal decomposition of a mixture of ethanol and titanium tetrachloride. Novel nanostructure was realized in one synthesis route. Based on SEM and TEM observations, the hierarchical nanostructure consists of core-shell SiC-SiO2 main stem nanowire and a lot of SiO2 nanorod branches grown on the main stem. A mean diameter of SiC central cores was about 40 nm and their lengths reach about 100 mu m. The lengths and diameters of SiO2 nanorod-like branches were ranged in 400-800 nm and 30-120 nm, respectively. The growth of core-shell SiC-SiO2 nanowires obeyed vapor-liquid-solid mechanism and the SiO2 nanorod-like branches grew via vapor-solid mechanism. The infrared absorption and photoluminescence properties of the grown nanostructure were investigated. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.