A facile and efficient hydrolysis process was proposed to create graphene nanosheets-SnO2 nanocomposites (GSCS). The hydrolysis reaction results in the formation of pure phase SnO2 nanoparticle (similar to 10 nm in size) uniformly dispersed on graphene sheets while simultaneously cause reduction of graphene oxide. The as-prepared materials were characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In the investigation of photocurrent response properties, it was found that the photocurrent of GSCS was 130 mu A/cm(2), which is about 4 times higher than that of SnO2. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.