Zinc oxide (ZnO) doped antimony (Sb) nanowires have been synthesized for improving ultraviolet sensing and photocatalytic properties. Upon illumination by UV light (365 nm, 2.33 mW cm(-2)), the photoelectric current of the ZnO: Sb nanowires exhibited a rapid photoresponse as compared to that of the ZnO nanowires. A highest ratio of photocurrent to dark current of around 48.8-fold was achieved in the as-synthesized ZnO: Sb nanowires. A UV-visible spectrophotometer was used to investigate the absorbance spectrum of the ZnO:Sb nanowires, which exhibited a high absorbance ratio with redshift effect in contrast to that of the ZnO nanowires. Visible-light photocatalysis and UV photoresponsive properties of the ZnO: Sb nanowires are superior to those of the ZnO nanowires. (c) 2010 The Electrochemical Society.