We reported a novel Fe2O3/rutile TiO2 nanorod (NR) arrays with the heterogeneous structure for photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, which were fabricated on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass (FTO) substrates that serve as model architecture via a hydrothermal method. Fe2O3 was revealed as an inexpensive and eco-friendly semiconductor sensitizer to make TiO2 respond to visible light. By using this photoanode, the photoelectric conversion and water splitting properties of PEC cells based on the one-dimensional (1D) Fe2O3/TiO2 heterostructures were investigated in detail under simulated sunlight. Meanwhile, the optimization of photovoltaic performance was also achieved by regulating the amount of Fe2O3. The open circuit voltage and short circuit current of the Fe2O3/TiO2 solar cell can reach 0.435 V and 1.840 mA/cm(2), respectively. In addition, theoretical analysis of the photoelectric effect is preliminarily explored on the basis of the flat band potential results. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.