Nano-wire growth processes, nano-wires, and articles having nano-wires are disclosed. The nano-wire growth process includes trapping growth-inducing particles on a substrate, positioning the substrate within a chamber, closing the chamber, applying a vacuum to the chamber, introducing a precursor gas to the chamber, and thermally decomposing the precursor gas. The thermally decomposing of the precursor gas grows nano-wires from the growth-inducing particles. The nano-wires and the articles having the nano-wires are produced by the nano-wire growth process.