Well ordered titanium dioxide nanotube arrays (TNA) of average diameter 129 nm and wall thickness of 25 nm were fabricated through potentiostatic anodisation of titanium (Ti) metal substrates. Such TNA were subsequently surface-modified with various amounts of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanopowders using hydrothermal technique to obtain heterogeneous TNA/ZnO nanostructures. The crystalline phase and surface microstructure of the heterostructures were determined by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy respectively. The morphology of the heterostructures strongly depended on the hydrothermal conditions employed. The photocatalytic activity of the heterostructures have also been investigated and correlated with their surface morphology and texture. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.