V-type SnO2 nanowires in large amount have been prepared by the thermal decomposition of SnO and vapor transport method at 1223 K. The arms of V-, W- or Z-type nanowires pose the same angle of 68 degrees and are monolithically single crystalline SnO2 with the growth facet indexed to be {101}, characterized by SEM, TEM, HRTEM and EDS. The formation of these zigzag SnO2 nanowires is attributed to the growth-facet change between (101) and (101) in an energy-equally way, following the gas-solid growth mode. The formation of these structures is significantly enhanced by the turbulent gas flow, in the presence of a ceramic column in the reactor. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.