This paper, for the first time, presents the results of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the valence band and core levels in sonochemically prepared SbSI ethanogel consisting of nanowires. The XPS spectra were measured with monochromatized AI K-alpha radiation in the energy range of 0-1400 eV at room temperature. It was found that the sonochemically prepared SbSI ethanogel is a p-type semiconductor. The XPS determined composition of this material suggests the existence of antimony subiodide at surfaces of SbSI nanowires. The chemical shifts in SbSI ethanogel for the Sb, I and S states are reported. Experimentally obtained binding energies are compared with the results reported for single crystals of SbSI. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.