Different loadings of SnO2 nanoparticles embedded in mesoporous silica (SBA-15) were prepared via a two-solvent method with the ordered hexagonal mesoporous structure of SBA-15 kept. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and N-2 adsorption porosimetry were employed to characterize the nanocomposites. Compared with pure SnO2 nanoparticles, the SnO2/SBA-15 nanocomposites show higher response to H-2 at lower operating temperature. The photocatalytic activity of as-prepared SnO2/SBA-15 for degradation of methylene blue was investigated under UV light irradiation and the results show that the SnO2/SBA-15 nanocomposites have higher photodegradation ability toward methylene blue than pure SnO2 nanoparticles. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.