Abstract：
A large number of cotton-like ultralong β-SiC nanowires (NWs) were successfully synthesized via a simple catalyst-free carbothermal reduction approach using a carbonaceous silica xerogel as raw materials. The length of the NWs is in the millimeter range and the diameter of the NWs is about 130 nm. The ultralong NWs are bamboo-like single-crystalline β-SiC NWs. A vapor–solid mechanism was proposed to elucidate the growth process of the NWs, and the large length and high-yield of the SiC NWs may be ascribed to the stable release of SiO and CO gases form the carbonaceous silica xerogel. The simple method provides a promising candidate for industrial fabrication of β-SiC NWs.