A visible light-driven photocatalyst, C-doped Zn-3(OH)(2)V2O7, prepared by a hydrothermal method was studied. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by SEM, XRD, DRS, and XPS, and exhibited efficient photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation. Besides decoloring, the decomposition of MB was also observed, further demonstrating the performance of the photocatalyst. The carbon existing on the surface of Zn-3(OH)(2)V2O7 nanorods was free and in carbide form. Dye degradation followed first-order kinetics, and was explained on the basis of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.