We present a route for the synthesis of arrays of ordered metal oxide nanowires using a combination of electrodeposinon in polycarbonate templates and thermal annealing in oxygen atmosphere Structural characterization shows that after oxidation of Co nanowires an array of Co3O4 polycrystalline nanowires is obtained Magnetic measurements confirm that the wires are fully oxidized and that they are antiferromagnetic with a Neel temperature slightly lower than that corresponding to bulk Co3O4 Cathodoluminescence spectra of the Co3O4 nanowires show an emission band peaked near 2 1 eV that can be attributed to the optical band gap of this material as well as other emissions centered at lower energies which are strongly dependent on the crystal quality (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved