Spongelike nanostructured zinc films were grown by room temperature sputtering processes and pure wurzitic zinc oxide nanostructured films were obtained by a subsequent thermal annealing process. This method allowed growing films with a thickness of a few micrometers with a relatively short deposition time. A study on the influence of the process parameters on the morphology of the films was carried out. The radio frequency power applied to the cathode appeared to be the main factor in order to achieve nanostructures with different morphological features. The physical and chemical characteristics of the nanostructured ZnO obtained with the method herein described make it suitable to be used as photoanode in Dye-sensitized Solar Cells. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.