Novel well-crystallized P-nickel hydroxide nanocrystalline thin films were successfully synthesized at low temperature on the quartz substrates by hydrothermal method, and the oriented carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared by acetylene cracking at 750 degrees C on thin film as the catalyst precursor. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) measurement shows that thin films were constructed mainly with hexagonal beta-nickel hydroxide nanosheets. The average diameter of the nanosheets was about 80 nm and thickness about 15 nm. Hydrothermal temperature played an important role in the film growth process, influencing the morphologies and catalytic activity of the Ni catalysts. Ni thin films with high catalytic activity were obtained by reduction of these Ni(OH)(2) nanocrystalline thin films synthesized at 170 degrees C for 2 h in hydrothermal condition. The highest carbon yield was 1182%, and was significantly higher than the value of the catalyst precursor which was previously reported as the carbon yield (398%) for Ni catalysts. The morphology and growth mechanism of oriented CNFs were also studied finally. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.