Au nanoparticles (NPs) dispersed Co3O4 composite films were fabricated via a chemical solution approach combined with a spin-coating processing. The photocatalysis on Au-dispersed Co3O4 (Au/Co3O4) films were investigated under a visible light (lambda > 400 nm) irradiation. Compared with the pure Co3O4 film, an additional and significant surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak appeared in the Au/Co3O4 composite films. The SPR peaks aroused at around 630 nm in the composite films were strongly related to Au content and the charge transition between Au and [Co2+ Co-2(3+) O-4]. Au/Co3O4 composite films with 40 mol% Au content exhibited the superior photocatalytic activity for degradation of Congo red (CR) solution under the visible light irradiation, suggesting the highly effective SPR propelled effect for enhancing the visible-active photocatalysis on the Au/Co3O4 composite films in this study. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.