SiC nanorods with a needle-like shape have been synthesized by carbothermal reduction of SiO at 1410℃, where the reductant is highly curled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) containing Fe nanoparticles approximately 10nm in size. Each SiC nanorod has a rounded Fe–Si single crystalline tip 120-250 nm in size and a sharp SiC tip approximately 10nmin size. Along the nanorod axis, the diameter decreases gradually from approximately 100 nm on the Fe-Sitip side to approximately 10nm on the sharp SiC tip. A revised vapor-liquid-solid mechanism from Wagner's mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of the SiC nanorods.