Effect of substrate texture on the growth of hematite nanowires

► Demonstration for the first time that in annealing method foil textures greatly affects the nanowire growth. ► Synthesis of dense and aligned hematite nanowires by simple annealing technique in moist oxygen ambient. ► Demonstration that by simple filing and cutting iron foil, the surface texture can be changed and the growth of hematite nanowires can be enhanced. ► Study of effect of substrate texture on the growth of hematite nanowires. ► Growth mechanism to explain the effect of texture and moisture on the growth of nanowires.