For the first time, bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) nanoplates synthesized by single-step chemical method were envisaged as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells. The structural elucidation demonstrated tetragonal structure with a predominant beta-Bi2O3. The power conversion efficiency (1%) of Bi2O3 nanoplates-based dye-sensitized solar cells was enhanced up to 50% when decorated with zinc oxide thin layer (ZnO). The best performing electrode showed 24% incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency. This high DSSC performance of Bi2O3-ZnO photoanode is attributed to the increased electron transportation due to the suppression of recombination centers by ZnO passivation layer. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.