SnO2/TiO2 nanotubes composite photocatalysts with different SnO2 contents were successfully synthesized by means of a simple solvothermal process. The synthesized products were characterized physically by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The composite photocatalysts can not only make the target pollutant, methylene blue (MB), adsorbed at a high concentration level around the surface of the composites but also decrease the recombination rate of electron-hole pairs so as to achieve good photocatalytic performance. The effect of SnO2 contents on the photocatalytic activities of the composites was also investigated. The results showed that the SnO2/TiO2 nanotubes composite photocatalyst with 5 wt.% SnO2 loading had the highest photocatalytic efficiency. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.