Carbon-TiO2 nanohybrids (CTs, 5-10 nm TiO2 nanocrystals evenly dispersed on carbon film) have been successfully prepared via a mild, one-step hydrothermal approach. The interactions and electronic structures of carbon and TiO2 nanoparticles and the enhanced visible photocatalytic mechanism were investigated by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry in detail. Meanwhile, it was demonstrated that the as-obtained CTs had a large BET specific surface area of 304.6 m(2)/g and showed excellent photocatalytic abilities towards organic (Rhodamine B, benzene) and inorganic pollutant (K2Cr2O7) degradation in visible light. This work provided a new approach for the high performance catalyst design towards new energy sources and environmental issues. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.